The Chronicles of Mason Smith: Redemption of Sorrow
by Drewmoviefan
Summary: Tragedy stricken Mason, as he started his new life at Watership Down. His family was unexpectedly murder and a kidnap of Tyler. He, with the help of the rabbits of Watership Down joirney to find Tyler.
1. Morning Duties

Chapter 1

It's been two seasons since I came to live with the rabbits of Watership Down. I dreamed I was back home with my family in California. I was human in that dream and we all went to Bodega Bay and watched the sunset reflecting on the crushing, ocean waving waters. I prefer to be permanent in that dream, if I stayed as I was, but I had no other choice. Every good dream, has to come to an end. I was lying next to my mate, as she sleeps like Aurora, with a smile on her face that she was happy. The more excitement comes when we have good news for our new family generation. Not saying that we have one yet though. Every morning, I stretched and lowered my ears to scratch it, like it's a habit. She than started to wake up, as I was making sounds.

"Alice, are you alright?"

She groaned because she just woke up and smiled. "Of course, I heard you waking up, so I should wake up to."

I smiled. I looked at my phone over at a comer and surprising that I still have it. The time was 6:10 a.m. I thought it will be suiting to meet with the _Owsla_ by the tree.

"Please come back to bed." Rose said.

" _Owsla_ duties, but if you're still in bed, I'll come and see you." I suggested, while I grabbed my phone.

She smiled. "Unless I'm out."

I chuckled. "I love you Rose."

"I love you too Mason."

* * *

I hopped out of our burrow and started to head on for my way. I still hear some of the rabbits still sleeping. I did my very best to not wake anybody up and I could have the quiet reflection time, before the real morning begins. I went passed the Honeycomb and journeyed through the tunnel that leads outside. The sun was starting to come up and I decided to stare at the sun.

 _Hopefully, everyone is doing alright_. I wondered about my family, as I gazed towards the house at the distance. The house that I once lived. Eventually, I had made some trips to visit and spend a night from being homesick, until the next morning.

I turned around to look at the tree and it looked like it grew a tiny inch, since I came to live here. A black rabbit with a vest backpack came out of the warren, as he's full grown as an adult buck.

"Mason." Tyler said.

"Good morning Tyler, how the kittens?" I asked.

"They're sleeping with Gillia. They're starting to grow since birth." he answered.

"You two should be proud." I commend. "I would once think that you would go out of your own league."

"What do you mean?" Tyler asked, as he pulled out his Zune HD.

"I mean by mating the 'Chief's Daughter'." I started a little tease.

He smirked with a paw punch. "Put them up!"

I started to _Tail-Tag_ chase with Tyler as we ran on the grass, without leaving the down. I managed to tumble on Tyler and he turned me around and had me lying on the grass.

"Your run is going a little quicker everyday." Tyler said.

"At least you were chased by me, not a dog." I added.

We both laughed and he pulled me up. "Chip and Dale ready to join the _Junior Owsla_?"

"They're coming to that point, but they'll probably do a challenge, before they could join." Tyler answered.

"I bet you a hundred dollars, that it'll be the same challenge like Pipkin and the others went through." I assumed.

"Others?! Just to let you know that Gillia was part of the 'others'." Tyler felt a little offended.

"I'm sorry. I meant when they were younger." I explained.

"I know that." he smiled.

" _OWSSSLAAA!_ " I heard the so-called Commander Bigwig called for the _Owsla_.

"Here goes the Captain of the hour." I joked.

We laughed and we made a line facing towards the hole, where Bigwig came out. Tyler and I saluted.

"Good Morning Capt. Bigwig, Sir!" Tyler and I greeted Bigwig, as he was a general of the US Army.

"And a good morning to the both of you bucks." Bigwig smiled. He than turned around and saw the rest of the _Owsla_ joining us in line.

"Good morning Dad." Tyler greeted Hawkbit.

"Good morning, Son." Hawkbit greeted with a smile, even he was a bit drowsy from waking up early.

Fiver joined in by my side. "Good morning Mason."

"Morning Fiver, good sleep?"

"It's alright, how are you with Rose?" he asked.

I shrugged. "It's same old, same old."

He smiled until Bigwig faced towards us that me and Fiver faced straight. Bigwig did his usual morning inspections, as Hannah and Kehaar joined in on the side.

"Alright _Owsla_ , it's a wonderful day for a patrol. We'll start with patrol, and have a break, then continue to grab some _Flayrah_ for food at the farm." he announced.

 _Hopefully that Duster and his farmer doesn't show up today_. I thought to myself, because I would be encounter much of Duster trying to "sic me".

" _Owsla_... move out!" Bigwig commanded.

As we left the down, Tyler started to play a song on his Zune HD. _Morning! Today's forecast calls for blue skies_

"Just like a normal day in the office." I smiled at Tyler, as he smiled back.

* * *

We went through the woods, as we passed and followed the brook. Tyler and I started to sing along to the song, playing on his Zune.

 _Sun is shining in the sky  
There ain't a cloud in sight  
It's stopped raining, everybody's in the lane  
And don't you know, it's a beautiful new day, hey_  
 _Running down the Avenue_  
 _See how the sun shines brightly_

The rabbits looked back, including Bigwig and smiled and shook their heads. Kehaar and Hannah were flying above and I'm sure they could hear little of the music from high ground. Bigwig thought it was a good opportunity to stop for a break and eat some _Flay_ grass.

"We'll stop here and have Mason and Tyler do a little show." he smiled.

The rabbits stopped and starting to cheer for me and Tyler. They wanted us to provide them a morning boost with momentum to wake up the _Owsla_. Tyler just jammed for the song on his Zune and sang.

 _In the city, on the streets where once was pity  
Mr. Blue Sky is living here today, hey_

"Mason, why don't you join Tyler?" Hawkbit persuaded.

The rabbits started to cheer for my name, as Tyler was dancing to the song, until he pulled me in to join him.

 _Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why  
You had to hide away for so long, so long  
Where did we go wrong?_  
 _Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why_  
 _You had to hide away for so long, so long_  
 _Where did we go wrong?_

The rabbits cheered. I was dancing along with Tyler that all of us just laugh for the enjoyment. Bigwig moved his head following the beat. I started to mouth some the lyrics to Bigwig.

 _Hey, you with the pretty face_  
 _Welcome to the human race_  
 _A celebration, Mr. Blue Sky's up there waiting_  
 _And today is the day we've waited for_

The _Owsla_ laughed and "oohed" that I was trying to get Bigwig to dance. He was hesitant. I still pressured him to join in for the fun.

"Don't push it, lad." he warned.

 _Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why  
You had to hide away for so long, so long  
Where did we go wrong?_  
 _Hey there, Mr. Blue  
We're so pleased to be with you  
Look around, see what you do  
Everybody smiles at you_  
 _Hey there, Mr. Blue_  
 _We're so pleased to be with you_  
 _Look around, see what you do_  
 _Everybody smiles at you_

 _Mister Blue Sky!  
Mister Blue Sky  
Mister Blue Sky-yiy!_

 _Mr. Blue, you did it right  
But soon comes Mr. Night  
Creeping over, now his hand is on your shoulder  
Never mind, I'll remember you this  
I'll remember you this way_

 _Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why  
You had to hide away for so long, so long  
Where did we go wrong?  
Hey there, Mr. Blue (sky)  
We're so pleased to be with you (sky)  
Look around, see what you do (blue)  
Everybody smiles at you_

Tyler and I started to sing like people were singing at a choir. We than hit a high note, but it was cut short when we're tumbled by Kehaar. Everyone started to laugh and Tyler and I followed suite with Kehaar and Hannah.

"That's a way to be fully awake in the morning." I said.

The _Owsla_ started to applause me and Tyler. We took our bows after we were commended on our performance.

"Alright, you two." Bigwig tried to stop laughing. "Both of you should eat some _Flay_ and we need to continue on, before _Ni-Frith_."

Tyler and I nodded our heads and agreed. We started to eat some grass, as they continued to cheer.


	2. The New Life

Chapter 2

After our break, we started to head towards a farm where we found _Flayrah_. However, the food was fenced off than it was before. The _Owsla_ and myself felt that we've came all the way to find food source blocked in our faces. Tyler simply smiled.

"You know what time is." Tyler hinted.

"What?" I asked.

" **HEIST TIMMMEEE**!" Tyler shouted.

He than pulled out his Zune HD and played _Bad_ by Michael Jackson. But, the music instead to play _Take My Breath Away_ by Berlin. He was confused until he saw me smirking right at him, while I was giggling inside.

"You call that a 'Heist Music'?" I asked and started to laugh.

Tyler just shook his head, while trying to search for the right song.

"At least it wasn't Jessica Simpson, because I prefer Berlin over her." Tyler added.

"Indeed." I continued to laugh.

"Berlin?" Hawkbit was confused.

"Jessica Simpson?" Bigwig also was confused.

"They're music artists." Tyler said.

He then stopped the song. I was dancing to the song, until everyone was looking at me with blank faces.

I gulped. "Sorry."

Everyone single one of us started to laugh.

"Now what I was saying... **HEIST TIMMMEEE**!" He than played the correct song, which is Michael Jackson's _Bad_.

Tyler started to dance to the song's choreography. Everyone didn't have a single reaction, but we just smiled watched him dance towards the fence, until he started digging. The rest of the _Owsla_ than looked at Bigwig.

"Oh, right. Initiate digging! Let's move!" Bigwig commanded the _Owsla_ to start digging.

It was probably the first time I had to get my hands... I mean paws dirty. It didn't really bother me for the fact, when I was kid and pretty sure everyone would like to play with dirt and mud. I than watched Tyler that he was still singing to the song. Bigwig dig alongside me and we watched Tyler digging, while listening to the music and following the beat.

"Why does he music so much?" Bigwig looked at me and asked.

"It's one of the things he has that keeps him alive and/or that he enjoys music. I could relate that easily like myself." I said.

Bigwig than looked back at Tyler and smiled. "I could see the both of you liking 'music' much."

I nodded and the both of us went back to digging.

While digging, I could see Hawkbit moaning because he wasn't much into digging.

"If Mom watches him dig, she will think of him being cute." Tyler said while digging.

"Why's that?" I continued to dig.

"She's a digger herself and she always likes to dig with him." he said.

"That's cute." I said, thinking that the two would probably been in love since they both dig.

We continued to dig upwards, and than we uprooted a carrot. The carrot fell and bonked my head. Some the rabbits including Tyler laughed.

"Alright enough laughter, we need to get some _Flayrah_ and return home." Bigwig broke up the laughter.

We resurfaced on the other side and we started to grab cabbages, carrots, and lettuce. As we grabbed them, the farmer came out with Duster.

"Blast! You rabbits going to kill all my veggies in my garden!" the farmer shouted.

"I'm sure he'll grow tired if it by now." I said.

"Well... are you sure about that?" Tyler asked.

We looked to see Duster growling and started to bark.

"But, him!" I exclaimed.

The dog started to go by fence and started shaking.

" _Owsla_ , fall back!" Bigwig commanded.

Without asking him or hearing him saying it twice, we all went underground through the same route we dig to the garden. As we hopped through the tunnel, we managed to find our light and resurfaced, without looking back at the farm. After we made it by the brook, we took our breaths for a break.

Even Tyler was still listening to his heist song, he finished the song. "Who's Bad?"

Bigwig turned back and smiled at me.

"You didn't get chased by Duster, now." he said.

"After what I learned." I laughed.

"At least we got the _Flayrah_ we needed. Let's head back for home." Hawkbit suggested.

"I agree, Dad." Tyler agreed. We started to head our way back home.

* * *

When we arrived back at the down, almost everyone was out of the warren. We managed to store _Flayrah_ in a storage burrow and we came out of the warren. Everyone else of the _Owsla_ lie down on the grass and watched the some of the bucks, including Tyler playing with his brothers, along with other kittens. I started to think back when I was little and how much Alice tries to play with me sometimes. I just isolated myself not far from the warren, but on hill and watched my family's house in the distance.

Rose hopped towards me and nuzzled.

"Everything went well?" she asked.

"It's alright, the farmer ranted again like usual." I chuckled.

She lightly chuckled, as she notices I was in my happy spirit. "You still miss them?"

"I do." I look back to see the kittens playing. "At the same time, I sort of wish that our time comes soon." I said as I looked down in shame.

She smiled and took my paw. "I know you're ready. I'm too. But when the time comes, it'll come."

I lightly began to smile and nuzzled her with a kiss, as she cheered me up. "Do you want a boy or a girl?"

She thought hard. "I don't know maybe a doe."

"What would you name her?" I asked.

"Lily, Blossom." she thought.

"How about Olivia?" I asked in a suggestion.

She thought and hesitates a little. "Maybe Flora."

I smiled. "Maybe Flora, even though I still like to prefer Olivia."

She laughed and we nuzzled with a kiss.

"Mason, Rose!" Hazel called from the top, as he descended down. "What're you two doing down here?"

Rose and I looked at each other, a little clueless. "We just think about our own children." I said.

"Oh yes, I do know for the fact Spring is already over though." he added.

"I know, but what if we had a miracle child in the Winter, like around Christmas Time and/or _Feast of Frith_ time." I wished.

"That'll be interesting to see, I never encounter a rabbit being born on _Frith's Eve_." Hazel said.

"We know that it takes time, and when _Frith_ said it's time, it's time." Rose said.

I nodded and looked up. I know that Jesus would know when it's the right time, comes by faith, patience and above all, love.

"Although at the same time, I still wished our children or child comes, so I could be able to show them to my family too." I desired.

Hazel gave me a pat on the shoulder with his paw. "Chin up son, the time would come."

Rose and I smiled. The three of us went back up to the down.

* * *

The night came and everyone ate some _Flayrah_ for supper. However, I noticed that Kehaar was eating some fish he had caught from the ocean. I hopped over to him to see it wasn't salmon, but it was just fish.

"May I try a bite?" I asked.

Kehaar turned around. "Yah, fish is good, but since you're a rabbit, you now long-ears should not to."

"Come on, I know I once was human and had fish, before I won't be able to tell the different taste. Maybe I'll just have a small bite." I suggested.

"The taste may not be well for you long-ears." he gave in with a little warning, as he handed me a fish.

I was about to take a bite until Rose stopped.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

"Just thought of tasting a fish." I said.

"It's... it's... oh never mind."

"What?" I asked.

"Go ahead, you'll be sorry." she smirked.

The rabbits overheard and saw me that I was about to taste a fish. I took a bite and chewed it. The taste was different since it came out from the ocean. Also, that I haven't had fish or salmon with a better taste like teriyaki for so long. It took a little bit to chew until I swallow the bite. I looked back to see the rabbits a little disgusted because I ate a fish.

"How does it taste?" Tyler asked.

"You know, you had fish before when you were little." I said.

"Uhh, Mason." Pipkin started. "I tried it, but I only bite it and spitted out because of the sea water."

I looked back at Tyler.

"Mason, it came from salt water."

My tongue started to feel the salt water like I drank a little glass of it and I started to gag. Everyone in the warren started to laugh, while Rose and Kehaar chuckled with their heads nodding. I spitted, until Blackberry gave me a leaf of water and drank it. The sea salt went away soon after. She even giggled.

"You have to be careful what you taste, now. Because it may not be a greater taste, since you were turned into a rabbit." she warned.

"I learned my lesson." I started to chuckle.

* * *

By now, everyone was getting ready for bed. I decided to check on the kittens and try to put them to sleep. I went to see Tyler was trying to help put his brothers and his own two children to bed.

"Need a hand?" I offered to help.

"Not necessary, but if you want to it'll be fine." Tyler lightly accepted.

"Uncle Mason, are you going to tell us one of your adventures or your stories?" One of Blackberry's and Campion's children asked.

"Maybe some other time." I said.

"I like the story how you faced Vervain in our warren in a battle." Ivy, one of Tyler's and Gilia's kittens, who has bit of her mother's fur colored tone.

"Or how you challenged Grandpa Hawkbit in a game of _Bob-Stones_." Birch, another kitten of Tyler and Gillia, who is mixed with his mother's and father's.

I smiled, as Tyler snuggled his children in, with his brothers.

"Are you going to sing us a song?" Chip asked.

I nodded. "Even though I'm a little tired to tell you all a story, but a song should do it right for tonight, until next time."

"Mother says, you sang beautifully to Aunts Gilia and Snowdrop, and Uncle's Pipkin and Mallow." Another kitten said.

"I believe singing a lullaby could help someone to go to sleep, especially after a nightmare. Get some sleep now, and I'll start a song."

Tyler managed to grab mine guitar that was made by Tyler. "Care for you to join me?"

"I'll love to." he agreed.

I started to strum the guitar, as the kittens started to yawn.

 _If you missed the train I'm on_  
 _You will know that I am gone_  
 _You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles_

Blackberry, Campion, Gilia, Rose, Hawkbit, and Clover stopped by the children's burrow and saw me and Tyler singing them to sleep. Rose hopped over between me and Tyler.

 _(Tyler and Rose joined in)_

 _A hundred miles, a hundred miles,_  
 _A hundred miles, a hundred miles_  
 _You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles_

 _Lord, I'm one, Lord, I'm two,_  
 _Lord, I'm three, Lord, I'm four_  
 _Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home_

 _Away from home, away from home,_  
 _Away from home, away from home_  
 _Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home_

The rest of the rabbits were by the entrance and listening to the song. They smiled and lightly rock their heads left and right.

(Rose part)

 _Not a shirt on my back_  
 _Not a penny to my name_  
 _Lord, I can't go back home this ole way_

 _(Trio sang)_

 _This ole way, this ole way,_  
 _This ole way, this ole way,_  
 _Lord, I can't go back home this this ole way_

 _If you missed the train I'm on_  
 _You will know that I am gone_  
 _You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles_

 _A hundred miles, a hundred miles,_  
 _A hundred miles, a hundred miles,_  
 _You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles_  
 _You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles_  
 _You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles_

The kittens were asleep when the three of us finished the song. We than slowly hopped away quietly without waking them up.

"Thank you very much to the three of you." Blackberry and Campion thanked us.

"We have a part of looking after your kittens, especially at night before falling asleep." I said.

Hawkbit and Clover placed their paw on their son's shoulder and hugged him. "You're a great Brother and a Father."

"I learned it from the both of you, Mom and Dad." Tyler said. Gilia nuzzled her mate.

Rose yawned and started to nuzzle me. "Well... tomorrow is another day, goodnight everybody."

"Goodnight." Everyone said.

We all dispersed, as me and Rose went to our burrow and cuddled in our bed. She gave me a kiss, before she fell asleep. I looked up and thinking about my parents and Alice, I said "Goodnight" to them by my head. I scooted close to my mate and I went to sleep.


	3. Unfortunate Event

Chapter 3

Back at my parents home, I'm sure they would be asleep by now. I use to know that Alice would be on her phone probably calling some of her new friends that she met back in school. My parents probably be up trying to get some work done before going to bed, at the same time thinking about me.

"Honey what's wrong." Dad said.

"Just kept thinking about our son." Mom worried.

"I'm sure he's alright. Before you know, he promised to come with his own kids." he said.

"I know, but it has been awhile. Usually they would come around the Spring." she said.

"Unless there's a plan for them." he said as he closed the laptop.

"Only God knows." she said. She than turned off the lamp and pulled the covers to her and started to sleep after giving Dad a kiss.

My father remembered the promise that I made, however at the same time they worry that it won't happen or something happened. He decided to not to worry about it and embraced her and closed his eyes.

* * *

A knock woke him up. Mom was still asleep and he didn't want to wake her up.

 _Alice I'm sure you bringing friends over, in the middle of the night_. he said to himself.

He grabbed his phone, as a flashlight and checked on Alice. She was already fast asleep and he looked at his phone.

"Who would be knocking our door at 4 o'clock in the morning?" he asked himself.

The knock became a bang seconds after three knocks. He hurried upstairs to his room.

"Honey, wake up." he started to shake his wife and trying to speak to her.

"Wake up!" he said a little louder and Mom woke up.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Go wake up Alice and try to stay in her room until I come back." he said.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Just do it! I think we may have an intruder." he said.

Mom got out of bed and woke Alice. They managed to call the authorities as they reported for a attempt breaking and entering into their home. Dad went down on the steps to the door and opened the door. As he slowly opens the door, he gasped to see the man was.

"Where's your son with that rabbit?" he said.

"He's no longer here and I don't see why you had to knock on the door that early in the morning." Dad said.

The man drew a firearm at him. "Don't say anything to attract attention."

Dad opened the door and the man stepped in and turned on the light to reveal himself.

"What are you doing here?! You should be in jail!" Dad exclaimed.

"Of course I had a little help from my son to break me out." the man said.

"Clayton?" Dad started to remember.

"Now you're remembering." Clayton's father complemented. "You could just call me Hugh."

"I still won't tell you where my son is." Dad said.

Hugh pulled the trigger and fired on Dad's shoulder. Mom and Alice heard a gunshot and she instructed Alice to stay. She opened the door to see Dad was lying on the floor wounded and moaning in pain.

"Well... it's nice to see you again too my dear." Hugh aimed at her.

Dad kicked him on his ankle and fired into the air. She screamed and ran back into Alice's room. Hugh regain back on his feet and fired repetitively.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

I woke up, as I felt something jolted my heart. I turned around to look around the burrow, but nothing was wrong. Rose was still peacefully asleep. However, I decided to head outside of the warren to see for myself. When got outside of my warren, it was not even close to dawn yet. The night was still a bit young, crickets chirp, as owls hooted. I remained close to my warren in case I won't try to go out further and be caught by an owl.

"Why do you always have to wake up in the middle of the night?" Bigwig came out with Tyler.

"I felt something is wrong." I said.

"Like what?" Tyler asked.

"I don't know. I'd rather be up just to keep a lookout for anything." I said.

"Well in that case, we'll stay with you." Bigwig and Tyler agreed, as we lie down and watched the stars.

We started to have our usual chat about stars and life.

"Anything new about having kittens?" Bigwig asked.

I shook. "I can't tell yet, we're definitely prepared, however never came for us yet."

"When the time will be right, it'll be right." Tyler said.

"What about you Bigwig? Since seasons back, any luck?" I asked Bigwig.

"As a matter of the fact, me and Spartina would be having kittens soon." he announced.

"Really!" Tyler was thrilled.

"Congrats! I know it's been a long way with you and Spartina." I congratulated.

"Been trying, however we've been busy and I prefer to keep it to yourselves until we could be able to get the news out." Bigwig added.

"Of course." Tyler and I promised.

An ambient gunshot was heard. I tried to listen to it carefully where it came from. "Don't you guys heard that?"

"Heard what?" Bigwig asked.

"I heard something further away." I tried to move towards the sound.

Another gunshot went off. I gasped.

"What is it?" Tyler asked.

"It's a gunshot." I said.

"I don't see anybody up that early to hunt." Tyler said.

"Whatever it is, we need to head back into our warren." Bigwig said.

"What about my family, it wasn't far from where they're too." I protested.

Bigwig sighed. "Let's just head underground we'll see about your family in the morning."

I decided to agree and we headed back into our warren. We just stood a little further from the entrance and waited. At the same time, we wondered who could be firing off rounds early in the morning.

"It's certainly not 'man' doing it as it seems." Bigwig said. If it wasn't hunting, than a crime would be taking place.

* * *

The sun began to dawn an hour after the shooting was over. I was the first one exited out of the warren. I decided to head towards my parents to see if they're alright.

"Mason! Where are you going?!" Bigwig shouted.

"I'm heading to see my family, if they're safe. Just tell Rose I'll be back shortly." I hurried off with no time to lose.

Bigwig just shook his head. "If something happens to him, we don't know what to say."

He hurried and woke up Tyler, who was sleeping by the entrance.

"Alright, lad, get the _Owsla_ together for a search party to go after Mason." Bigwig instructed.

"Where did he go?" Tyler asked.

"To see his family, but get the _Owsla_ up and meet by the tree, as I get Hazel." Bigwig hurried off.

Tyler went to wake everyone, who is in the _Owsla_ to get into groups and they head outside.

Bigwig called for Hazel. He than went by his burrow.

"Hazel, wake up!" Bigwig called for him.

Hazel was still sleepy when he got up. "What is it?"

"Hazel, we need to have the _Owsla_ do a search for Mason." he said.

Hazel became shocked. "What happened?!"

"Early this morning we heard as they said 'hunters', but Mason thought something different and he hurried off after _Frith_ started to rise." Bigwig explained.

"I'll come along." Hazel didn't hesitated and joined with Bigwig.

* * *

I hurried like a bat out of hell. I didn't even look and had no one to guard me. I thought at the same time, I was reckless because I should have waited, but it was urgent. I passed by the walking trail and I made it to the backyard of my house and noticed the screen door was broke opened. My heart started beat as I saw that the house was broken into and someone must have flee.

"Mason!" Hazel and the others were calling for me.

"Mason, what were you thinking, leaving like that?" Bigwig asked.

They dropped the question as they saw the house. I rubbed my cross and I was turned back into the 15 year old boy that I once I was. I ran to the front door and saw the house was thrashed. All the pictures that were on picture frames are now cracked on the floor. The TV was lying face down. The books and movies were scattered. Then I saw a trail of blood across the floor. I followed it to see my father lays lifeless on the door mat.

"Dad?" I said. I started to nudge him, but he didn't move. "Please don't die!"

My heart than just dropped into my stomach. I looked back to see the stairs. I got up and went upstairs and saw that Alice's door was opened.

"Mom! Alice!" I called for them, but they weren't there.

I left the room and went to my parent's room and saw Mom and Alice were on the floor. Rushing to their side, I shook them and they didn't even stir. I started to let out tears to only know that my family is gone.

Hazel and the _Owsla_ than arrived upstairs to see me crying over my mother's body. Tyler didn't had words to say along with Fiver. Hawkbit put his paws around Tyler. Bigwig was shocked and shook his head. Hazel hopped over to my side.

"Mason..." he shook his head. "I'm so sorry." Hazel rubbed the necklace and it turned me back into the rabbit.

I paws clinched onto my mother's nightgown, as Hazel gave me a hug and whispers with comfort. My tears fell onto his fur and mine, as I went over to him and hid my, face from this scene, onto his chest.

* * *

It wasn't until ten minutes later the police arrived with a constable. I transformed into a human, before they even arrived of course. Hazel and the _Owsla_ watched from the front-yard grass without revealing to attract "humans", as I watched my parted beloved parents and sister I once knew, being loaded up and driven off.

"Son... do you need anything?" the constable asked.

"Who could have done this?" I asked in grief.

"Well son." he pulled off some warning papers. "We believe that this man was responsible."

I took the papers to see the man was named Hugh, but I recognized his face immediately.

"The councilman?!" I remembered.

"You know this man?" he asked.

"I did, he was the father of a bully I knew named Clayton. Also a councilman, but I guess after he was arrested his title was dropped I supposed."

"Well he did managed a escape and we're out searching for him." The constable said.

My hands started crumble the paper, as anger started to burn. However, I let it go.

"We may need you to send you back-"

"No! I prefer to be here and I have family too looking after me. I can't go back to California and leave what I have here." I said.

"Well son, I don't how you'll manage, but a best luck to you sonny." he tipped his hat, got into his vehicle and left.


	4. A Family Mausoleum

Chapter 4

I went back into the house, went upstairs to my parents' room and decided to look around to grab some family photos from our scrapbook. I did the same for Alice's room. Afterwards, I went back to my old room and collected the movies that I had, along with collection of movies that my parents bought and collected as well downstairs. I even brought my portable DVD player from my room. I didn't even had enough time to grab books, but instead I grabbed "The Family" _Bible_ from the bookshelf. A step of crack was a recent family photo, where we're at Dover Beach. Removing the cracks and than the frame, I held onto the photo as I sat down on the couch.

Hazel and the _Owsla_ came into the house from the front door and entered the living room.

"Well... I guess they're dead." I accepted reality.

Hazel had the _Owsla_ to head back to the warren, however Tyler decided to stay back. The rest left from exiting the backyard entrance. Hazel and Tyler hopped onto the couch.

"This is my fault."

"Don't said that." Tyler said. "You couldn't have known."

"I heard the shouts this morning, I could have be able to stop it." I remorse.

"Mason, you could have been killed too if you investigate the sounds yourself." Hazel said.

I looked down at the photo. "At least I could have said my final goodbye if I have gotten a chance."

"You visited them recently didn't you?" Tyler asked.

"I had. However, I'm started to think it wasn't enough." I answered.

"Don't talk like that." Hazel said.

"No, it's true."

"Don't do that! Don't you ever take your family for granted!" Hazel shouted.

I closed my eyes with tears and stood up. "I'm not, I'm accepting my own reality and ON HOW I COULD COPE!"

Tyler got jumpy that he went behind Hazel, while Hazel stood on guard as I was being aggressive.

I felt angry that my family was taken away from me and I just got angry like a 8 year old child. Taking a few breaths to control my angry, I than settled down and sat on the rubble of memories lying on the floor, they once were.

"I'm sorry." I shook my head.

"It's okay Mason, you were angry." Hazel accepted my apology. Tyler came out and forgave me too.

"I don't know how am I going to go through it now. Losing my family I love, and losing a home." I said.

Hazel hopped towards my side. "You're home. We took you in after deciding to stay as a rabbit."

"Also to say, you pretty much have embodied Watership Down, as a new home and I could say Hazel is like a father to you." Tyler added.

"You're right." I cleaned myself. "I could say he is. I also have others like brothers and sisters, and so on."

Hazel patted his paw on my hand. "You never lost your family to began with."

"You're right, I could hold memories what I had with them." My smile faded after looking at the photo.

"I think we should leave before, anybody else could come." Tyler suggested.

"Couldn't agree more." Hazel agreed.

My heart was broken that I'm leaving behind. "Let's go home."

* * *

After we headed back home, I transformed myself back into the rabbit and headed back into the warren. Everyone else was up moving about and I didn't even want to interact with anyone because my grief took hold. After settling with the things I brought into my burrow. I grabbed the family photos I managed to take and took them to a empty burrow that it's enclose. I started to placing some of my family photos on the ground standing by the wall. It took about five minutes to grab some of the family and make a burrow a shrine. For all I know, I won't be able to know a grave, except they would be autopsy. It reminded a scene from _Monster's Ball_ that Leticia Musgrove when her son was killed in a hit and run. She mentioned that how the authorities would be able to solve a hit and run by doing autopsy. I could even say the same thing about my parents and my sister.

"Mason?" Rose was behind me by the burrow's entrance.

"I'm sorry that I left early." I apologized.

"You don't need to, Hazel told me what happened to your parents and your sister." she said. She than looked at the photos, now being sprinkled by dirt.

"That's your parents?" she said.

"Yes, but they're just photos of them." I said.

She looked at a photo. "Where's that at?"

I turned towards her and pointed the photo. "That's a photo of my family and I were in Bodega Bay."

"Where's that?" she asked.

"It's a small town and had beaches. We used to visit there when I was living in California, before I came here." I answered.

"The place looked beautiful." she added.

"It's really beautiful over there." I agreed.

Rose started to nuzzle me and than felt her embrace. "I'm really sorry."

"I started to miss them already." I felt tears coming down. "Only if they could see our children."

"I know they'll see them one day. I know. So as my mother and father." she said.

Rose's father stopped running from having a broken heart and he was growing old. I hardly know Sage, but he used to tell me how he was with Rose's mother, before Rose was born and of course before they lived in Cowslip's Warren.

"I'm sure your father is forgiven for sure." I added.

"He is. My mother was always forgiving." Rose remembered.

"My parents were too. My sister always gave me a hard time, but I learned to forgive her from my parents." I also remembered.

Rose left. I didn't know why she left, but I continued to gaze at the shrine I just made. Hazel came in and looked at my photos.

"You looked cute as a kitten." he said.

I saw the first family picture. "I was only baby, what humans called them, but it was the first family picture I was in." I said.

He continued to look at the shrine. "What is this burrow for?"

"I just wanted to build a small shrine, until I get over my grief. I could remove them when I'm fully over it." I offered.

"No, it looks suiting. You could always look back too." Hazel smiled.

I hugged him. "Thank you."

Rose came back with some shards of crystals. "I managed to find some at the caverns." She started to engrave the crystals into a image of a family.

Hazel and I looked at it. I was a engraving of my family that are "humans".

"You did with my mother back in Cowslip's, I'm giving back by engraving your family's image." she smiled. I started to smile, as I remembered.

* * *

Soon after, we had a family feast at the Honeycomb and as night falls, I decided to sleep by my family's only unofficial grave. With the smiling of the photos, I couldn't be able to sleep for a few hours. It was until I felt sleepy and looked at my phone was midnight. Surprisingly, I see unread messages from other surviving family members by text. I quickly scan through them and I didn't even leave a simple reply. I silenced my phone and had it locked, before I closed my eyes and hope tomorrow would be better day.


	5. Rabbit-Napping

Chapter 5

I woke up from hearing shouting and commotion. First, I come to notice that I was still in my family's shrine. I felt that I was a little up and I decided to move on without thinking about yesterday. After leaving the burrow, I headed over to the Honeycomb to see Tyler's little brothers, Chip and Dale were talking to the warren. I managed to join and listen.

"We just got back from our first solo patrol, but only to say Tyler was taken, by man!" they exclaimed.

The rabbits gasped and startled. Clover shook her head in disbelief, as she covers her face onto Hawkbit's chest.

"What happened?" Hawkbit asked.

"The two of us went on our solo patrol. We came across with, while Dale and I hid in the bushes, and Tyler listens to his Zune player. He was than stopped by a man with two others in a white suit. They seemed to know each other, but Tyler tried to run. However, Tyler was caught immediately and he was taken into a _Hrududu."_

I realized that Tyler stepped upon Hugh. This time, Hugh had some help from the animal control. "By a 'animal control'?!"

Everyone looked at me.

"What's a 'animal control'?" Chip asked.

"An animal control are law enforcement that controls on animals, by impounding." I feared. "What else did the men say?"

"They said Tyler was 'rapid', diseased, because the tall man said his son was attacked by our big brother." Chip said.

"He did, but he did it to protect me." I added.

"Protect you?" Hawkbit said.

"It was long story. However, if he didn't protect me and I didn't protect him, something worse could have happened to him." I answered.

"What do you mean?" Dale asked.

"Tyler wouldn't have been around, if it wasn't for me." I said.

"What happened?" Dale asked.

I took a deep breath.

 _When I got home from school, I decided to do my homework at the down. I came across with Hannah and she wanted me to follow her._

"You still remember that?" Hannah asked.

"I did, if you weren't there, I could have just lie down and day dream without even knowing that Tyler was in endanger." I remembered, as she smiled.

 _She showed me a group of boys, one of them was a bully I knew back in school by the name of Clayton. He was throwing rocks at your brother and trapped him into a snare. I chased after them, until they were about to place the snare around Tyler's neck. I stepped in, only to be pushed._

"What did you do?" Hazel asked.

 _Well, for a young kid, who thinks has to do the right thing, by putting someone in their place, I punched Clayton and he didn't even came to him that I was about to do it._

Bigwig started to laugh. I slightly shook my head from his laughter. However, his laugh was cut short when everyone else gave him a stern look. His laugh just dropped dead.

"I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure he was surprised that you stood up to a buck." he said.

 _I did. And I had to. Soon after fighting with one of Clayton's boys, Clayton himself tackled me to the ground and gave me some punches. Before I was going to get a knockout. Tyler saved me by biting Clayton on his hand and started to claw him with his martial arts moves, of course._

"Like he was fighting with that weasel all over again." Hawkbit recollected.

 _Clayton than picked up Tyler and tossed him to a tree where he was knocked out. Clayton was about to step on him to kill him. However, I intervened just in time, before Clayton could place his shoe on Tyler. Giving Clayton a few punches, I was disciplined him, about picking on rabbits, whom they were smaller than "humans"._

"You did the right thing to do." Fiver applauded.

"Well, it didn't last long, until he pulled me to the ground, ranting that his father was a councilman. The same man, who took Tyler away." I finished my recollection.

Everyone started to discuss on what should we do. I felt desperate, because I felt it was partially my fault, because if I was up and early, I could have joined him. I felt I should not have a word to say, because of my guilt.

"We should rescue him." a voice came from Hawkbit, and our attention turned towards him. "I would rather not lose my son again, by 'man'. I believe we should find him and bring him home."

"How Hawkbit? 'Man' travels everywhere, how do we suppose to find him?" Dandelion asked his old friend.

"Have trust and faith in _Frith_." he said.

It was the first time that I know, except probably when me and Tyler were lost in the woods one time, he was serious and determined.

"I agree. I could be able to help, since I know a few things about where man travel and I could be able to bring my friend, your son home." I agreed.

"If he was taken by man, I would go after him too." Bigwig also agreed.

"Anything for a dear friend of mine." Dandelion agreed.

"It's decided, we should have a group search to find Tyler." Hazel came into a conclusion.

"I suggest we should prepare to leave, because I don't know how long Tyler could last being in a animal pound." I added.

Hazel nodded.

* * *

Tyler started to blink his eyes only to be awake and found himself in a cage. He looked around to see he was in a office room.

"Where am I?" he asked himself.

A door opened up and a man walked towards the cage with another person. Tyler started to become a little scared. From being locked inside a cage and unable to escape.

"Is that it my son?" the man asked.

"That's him alright, Father." the person sounded like a teenage boy.

The man turned on the lights and started to put on his white gloves. He than opened the cage and picked Tyler up by his neck with both hands. He started to struggle to free himself.

"Well, a feisty little rabid, rabbit aren't you?" the man said. "Clayton, why don't you grab me a syringe and I could try to put him into a small bit of sleep."

"Father, that creature nearly killed me, and you wanted it to leave?!" he protested.

"Now son, if you want him to die, it has to be done just right." Hugh said.

Clayton than rolled his eyes and grabbed the syringe, while Hugh continues to rub the rabbit. "I'll give you something it'll put you right... to sleep."

Tyler hears clearly what Hugh was about to do, he bit the man's hand that dropped Tyler to the floor. He saw the door was opened and thought it would be great escape opportunity. As he heads for the door, it was than closed, by Clayton himself.

"Not this time bunny." Clayton said and kicked Tyler to the wall and knocking him out.

Hugh was still recovering his bite. "Good thing I didn't have to deal with this bite, until now!"

His son picked up Tyler and placed him to the cage. He also saw the Zune HD player. He grabbed and started using the player.

"What is that Clayton?" Hugh asked.

"Father, it appears to be the rabbit's Zune player. I seen it with him the last time me and my friends encounter him." Clayton answered.

"Until that Mason Smith showed up."

"He's just a whimpering sore, loser." Clayton ridiculed.

"Not really... he's always smart, but this time since his parents are gone, he would have no help this time." he started to chuckle.

Clayton leaned his head sideways. "Clayton inject the syringe."

Clayton manages to inject whatever it is in the syringe and Tyler started to breath again, but in sleep.

"Thank you my son, why don't you go play and I'll see you later." Hugh said.

"Okay Father." Clayton said, before he left.

After the door closed, Hugh began to reveal his dark side. "Now since I murdered his family, now no one could stop me. I could cover the murder by framing Mason, who is missing, as the murder, since he's a so called author. Everyone would turn him away and start hunting him down." he planned his fiendish plan.

He than grabbed Tyler from his cage and they left the office, as the door began to shut.


	6. A New Journey

Chapter 6

Hazel started to gather the _Owsla_ to begin our search. He brought his old face bucks, such as: Fiver, Bigwig, Hawkbit, Dandelion, Pipkin, Keehar, Hannah, and myself. I kept my phone and my necklace, with me for the journey. I even brought a favorite family picture, when we're at Anchorage, Alaska. I couldn't remember the last time I visited there, but I still wished one day that I would come back and visit my birth place. Rose hopped towards, as she worries that I'll be away, like any wife would miss their husband while he's away.

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked.

"I'll be fine, just please don't stop running." she said.

"I'll be careful and you have my word." I said.

She than placed her paw with mine. We haven't experienced that one of us leaves, as the other stayed behind. I was hesitant when she asked me to come along, but I worry that I might place her at risk with Hugh's and Clayton's hands.

"You still trying to think about our kittens." she said.

"I'll always, if they arrived before I get home, I wouldn't know what to say that I wasn't here." I worried that if in case Rose is expecting and gives birth to our kittens.

"I'm sure you'll be back home, before we have them." she smiled.

"Mason, are you ready?" Hazel called me.

I turned to see him standing by the warren's entrance. I nodded my head.

"See you again soon, Rose." I kissed her before I headed my way.

However, I noticed that Clover came across with me before meeting with Hazel.

"Don't worry Clover, I'll watch Hawkbit and more importantly bring both Tyler and Hawkbit home in one piece."

"I know you will." she nodded. "And a luck of El-ahrairah to you."

I smiled and joined with Hazel and left the warren.

* * *

Before we left, I decided that I should put on my phone to see if Hugh still has an office. It did show a location off at Brimpton Common. At the same time, I wonder if that's where Hugh and his son had lived. In the mean time, we decided to head towards the last place where Tyler was spotted. When we got there there were still footprints of the men.

"Still fresh, but faded scent." Bigwig sniffed.

"We could probably follow the prints and that could lead to the _hrududu_ that took my son away." Hawkbit said.

"What would happened if we lose track of their scent as the _h_ _rududu_ goes on a crossing?" Dandelion asked.

"We might have to follow the _h_ _rududu_ to where it leads us." Pipkin thought.

"The car would already be gone." I said. "The only place we could be able to find the car is having Kehaar fly to where the car is." I planned.

"I'm sure there are many, but how's he going to know where it is?" Fiver asked.

"I know the location of his office, if we head over there, we could be able to find the car." I answered.

"Where the _hrududu_ leads us to Tyler." Hawkbit added.

"Exactly! The only probably that the location is up northeast. It would take days, especially if we had to be away from humans and the roads." I said.

"What if we could ride on a _hrududu_ along the journey, unnoticed until we arrived." Fiver added.

"That could work! However, drivers could travel anywhere and we need to stay on course." I also added.

"Okay, we'll journey on foot, when it gets dark we rest, and in the morning we could find a _hrududu_ that could partially take us." Hazel decided.

We nodded our heads in agreement and we continued to follow the foot prints that leads to car tracks. As we follow the tracks, the dirt roads end at Ecchinswell Rd.

"Well there goes our help." Hawkbit sadly said.

"Don't worry Hawkbit, we just need to head up northeast from here. Don't lose hope." I placed my paw on his shoulder.

* * *

Cars sped on the roads fast that we felt the breeze catches on us. We knew that those cars were fast and we could be part of the statistic numbers of animals being road killed.

"Oh well, we should try to find another around." Dandelion said.

"We're going to cross it." I said.

The rabbits gasped.

"You're not sending me to _Black Rabbit_!" Bigwig protested.

"We may be clever rabbits. But I don't see it being any cleverness by doing this." Fiver said.

I felt determined that we had to cross the road, if we just go around, we'll be crossing roads unending. At the same time, we should try to avoid being on roads, but if it gets else where that we could try to get way or deal less of it, the better. I started to take a hop onto the cemented shoulder. I listened while looking both ways and see no cars yet. I started to make my way across the road quickly as I could see a car is heading it's way towards my path. The rabbits were disquiet, while I was crossing, however until I made it across, they were relieved.

"Are you barmy crazy lad!" Bigwig shouted.

"It is, but its the only way to cross. Just look around and listen for cars before you cross, and move quickly, before a car could come by unexpectedly!" I shouted with directions.

"He must be crazy that we should cross it!" Danelion doubted.

" _Who Dares Wins_." Bigwig realized.

Fiver and Pipkin smiled. " _Who Dares Wins_."

"We'll have no other choice, but trust in _Frith_ and cross towards the other side." Hazel decided.

They hopped towards the cemented shoulder, looked both ways and listened, they saw a few cars coming by, but they waited until they passed. After the cars were away, the rabbits hopped quickly, in effort to get across. As they rejoined with me, a sport's car just zoomed past them. They were gasping for breath.

"That was too close." Pipkin said.

"I'll say." Fiver said.

They ended up looking at and noticed that I was much stress, as I made my cross.

"You didn't feel like it was dangerous?!" Hazel exclaimed.

"A little, but I know only when it is safe to cross and/or when it's not." I said.

"At least you had experience crossing on _hrududu_ 's path." Bigwig said.

"Also, we could be able to stay on the woods or forest paths further, until we spot another crossing." I said.

The rabbits looked at each other and nodded for agreement. We continued to journey on the fields in effort to find Tyler.

"I wonder how Kehaar and Hannah are doing on their travel." I wondered.

"I'm sure they're flying ahead and they might be a bit ahead of us." Hazel said.

"I bit. At the same time, they're not in trouble in safety wise." I began to feel bit of concern.

"I wouldn't worry, those two been together for long and they could manage." Bigwig smiled.

* * *

The hours have past and the sun started to set, as we made another across at Road A339. We started to feel a bit hungry.

"I'm starting to feel a bit hungry." Pipkin whimpered as his stomach growls.

"He's right, we needed food before we could move on." Dandelion also groaned.

"Oh come, you champs the further we could go, the less time we could find food." Bigwig tried to cheer us up.

"I'm afraid we may have to find some food and make a small burrow for tonight." Hazel said.

"In case predators could try to prey upon us." I said.

"Predators?" Fiver asked with a shiver.

"It's basically, _elil,_ animals that eat preyed animals like rabbits and mice." I explained.

"How about less talk about _elil_ , more on food." Hawkbit complained. The "Hawkbit" started to come back... sort of.

"We could have diggers dig a small burrow to sleep for the night, while another group searches for food." Hazel planned.

"I'll have Hawkbit, Dandelion, Pipkin, and myself dig, while you three find some food." Bigwig said.

Hazel, Fiver, and I nodded our heads and headed off to find food. Bigwig looked at Dandelion and Hawkbit.

"Ready to get your paws dirty again?" he said with a smile.

"Haven't dig for a while, maybe I should join Hazel and the others." Dandelion started to hop away.

"Oh, no... you're not leaving me to do all the digging, by myself." Hawkbit stopped him.

"Alright, _Owsla_! Initiate digging!" Bigwig commanded the three bucks to dig, as he joined in.


	7. Have Courage, Love, and Kindness

Chapter 7

Hazel, his brother Fiver, and I started to search for food. Even though there wasn't any _Flayrah_ , but we decided to grab some wild flowers, grass, and any scattered greens we could find. Fiver sniffed around and stepped his foot repeatedly with joy.

"What is it Fiver?" Hazel asked.

"Found some clover!" he said.

Hazel and I headed towards him to see two patches of clover. "What a great find!"

Fiver smiled and he grabbed them by his mouth. The three of us managed to grab enough food for the seven of us. We started to head back to our encamped burrow, until I was awe stricken to see a gray-fur wolf roaming out in the fields. I never thought I was going to see a wolf since they're hardly any in the United Kingdom, since they have been extinct. However, some were sighted for protection reserve or some crossed over the sea doubtfully.

"Mason!" Hazel shouted for my name.

I continued to watch the wolf and came out with three pups. Hazel and Fiver came over, since I didn't rejoin. They looked where I was looking.

"What are they?" Fiver asked.

"They're wolves, that's where dogs come from." I answered.

"I'm sure they're like dogs, _elil_." Hazel said.

"True, but while I was growing up, I always wanted to see a wolf, but now I'm a rabbit, I have to fear them. However, I could say now that I seen one and they're beautiful." I said.

Hazel and Fiver turned back at the pack, where the pups were playing with each other.

"Do you remember, being like that?" Hazel asked Fiver.

"I could remember, how we chase other around the warren and the burrow." Fiver recollect.

The wolves started to howl. Hazel began to worry that they may caught our scent.

"Now I think it is the time, we should leave."

Even though I didn't wanted to leave, but I have no other choice to agree and the three of us headed back.

* * *

Bigwig and the _Owsla_ managed to complete digging a burrow to sleep for the night. Me, Hazel, and Fiver came back to our encamped burrow and we started to eat some _Flay_ and a few _Flayrah_. After I was eating, I turned back where we came back from our search for food. I was still wondering about the pack of wolves that I spotted.

"Something on your mind lad?" Hawkbit asked.

I turned back to see Hawkbit asking me the same question again for repeat.

"Nothing, really. Other than I spotted a pack of wolves. I was just hoping, they're not being hunted." I worried.

"Wolves?" Bigwig wondered.

"Wolves are alike dogs, but they're the most beautiful creatures. However, I'm sure they're _elil_ , but I could always wanted to have a close encounter with one when I was human." I said.

"Even though they attack 'man' as well." Hazel said.

"True, but I'm sure if someone could show love, kindness, courage, and understand them, they could try to understand you as well." I added.

"Like you did with us." Fiver remembered.

"Of course." I said.

"Like I always remember you, a buck with full of heart of youth." Bigwig recalls with a smile.

I smiled and looked up at the stars. "It sure is beautiful tonight."

The rabbits looked up to see the stars shining down, as the moon rises.

"Sure _Frith_ sometimes work in mysterious ways, for the other worlds." Dandelion stated.

"I know to be true that God works in mysterious ways for goodness in all of us." I added.

Dandelion turned towards me. "How does your belief differ from us rabbits?"

"Well... hope you don't think I'm contradicting, but God creates all of us for His purposes." I said.

"Did you have one?" Hawkbit asked.

"I used to. I always wanted to finish school, go to college and get degrees for History and teach it to others." I answered.

"And your faith?" Hazel asked.

"That too! And of course my faith is also History. _The Bible_ is a wonderful history and faithful journal that people with faith in God, wrote it down in scripture." I answered. "I'm sure you and the rest of the rabbits have history for your faiths about _El-ahrairah_."

He than smiled. "The stories of _El-ahrairah_ and _Frith_ keep our culture and faith alive. And your faith having the same culture and faith alive, as well."

"Above all... relationship." I added.

Bigwig started to yawn. "Well. I don't know about you bucks, but I suggest we should call the night, before continuing our journey."

"Goodnight, you all." Pipkin said.

"Goodnight." Everyone said.

* * *

As everyone started to settle in for the night, I turned back to see Hawkbit was still outside. I was sure that he still worries about his son and he could only say "Goodnight." in his thought. I hopped over to him outside our burrow.

"I'm sure we'll find him." I placed my paw on his shoulder.

"At the same time, I could only wish I was taken, rather than Tyler." Hawkbit said.

"Don't say such things." I told him.

"It's true. Sometimes I ware the warren down and I'm been starting to getting used to express love." he said.

"Hawkbit, do remember Tyler ran away, after he overheard you saying horrible things about him. Later, you decided to go search for him, because you started to realize that you don't really meant it by heart. Mainly because you took him in and you and Clover looked after him. Finally finding him, he forgave you after you apologized. When arriving back towards the down and Tyler fully recovered, you and Clover adopted him." I recalled Hawkbit telling me his story about Tyler.

Hawkbit looked at me. "I don't think this the same."

"Why?"

"He was taken. He didn't run away, but he decided to do his duties for the _Owsla_." he added.

"Soldiers would goes missing from battle or mission, there is always a chance for them to be found." I said.

Hawkbit than looked back towards the sky. "Mason, do you think that we would find my son, and we could be away from people."

I put my paw off from his shoulder. "Not everyone is evil and does bad things. You could believe that there's some goodness in this world than bad."

"How could you tell?" he asked.

"I could say all about it. But it is something you need to find in yourself. Especially if we need to find Tyler and bring him home." I answered with smile.

He started to lightly smile.

"Mason, Hawkbit. You two coming in?" Hazel asked.

"We better get into our burrow, before _elil_ could come around any corner." I said.

"Right." Hawkbit said as he headed back.

I looked back to see a shooting star. Normally, I would wish upon a star, but I said a prayer for Tyler's safety and give him strength. I than settled in the burrow with Hazel and Fiver, as they're started to get comfortable.

"I hope you two don't mind I could join?" I asked.

"Please don't mind. I'm sure you miss Rose." Hazel said.

I hopped by Hazel's left and lie next to him. "I do. I'm sure you miss Primrose."

"I do sometimes dreadfully, when I'm away and she's not with me." he said.

I sighed.

"Your family too?" he asked.

I nodded. "Very much dreadfully that I miss them terribly. You and Fiver's parents too?"

He looked down. "Mason, I haven't share anyone much about between me and Fiver before leaving Sandleford Warren."

* * *

"What happened?" I asked.

"Before we headed out from Sandleford Warren, me, Fiver, and my family were close. Not much different from yours. Since Fiver was born, he was a runt, with visions he could see the future. Normally, our parents would help us if there was a problem with other rabbits teasing him. However, since after our parents stopped running, me and Fiver continued on by looking after each."

"Basically, being inseparable." I said.

Hazel nodded with a smile. "If there was a problem, I would fill in our parents' role and try to do what is best for Fiver. Afterwards, it was our best we try to ignore the negativity from other rabbits about Fiver on points he might be teased or being putted down."

"It is relatable on my experiences when I get teased or being put down, my parents would help me to confront. However, it was best to ignore and turn the other way." I relate to Fiver's experience with mine. "I try my best to build my sanctuary to hide myself."

"You know that you don't have to live that way anymore since you are here." he said.

I nuzzled him for comfort. "I sometimes consider you, like a brief sanctuary when I first left Watership Down. Now that I'm home, I know that you're with me."

He smiled and rubbed his paw on my head, following a pat. I knew since I met him and I could remember he was my guardian angel. Also to say a brief sanctuary. I could be able to talk to and not have to be in part with the outside in the world.

"Goodnight and try to not to worry. I'm sure you would see your family again." Hazel said before he lie down and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight." I said, as I lean my head to his side. I pulled out a picture of my family and tucked it with me as I closed my eyes and fall asleep. The only comforting thing that anybody could think about when they lost, or had lost someone they love in past. They would see them again on the other side. I know that I was going to see them again in Heaven and that was also a comforting fact.


	8. Who Dares Wins?

Chapter 8

My eyes started to wake, after feeling a light, gentle shake.

"Come on, Mason. A brand new day." I heard a voice that was gentle and friendly that I dreamed of being waken up this way.

After I was fully awake, I saw Hazel was up and ready with Fiver.

"Good morning you two." I said.

"You seemed to slept very well." Fiver said.

"I did. Did the both of you as well?" I asked.

"We both did." he said.

I started to scratch my ears by my foot and it came back to me about why we're out here.

"We still need to find Tyler and bring him home." I remembered.

"Hazel, Fiver, Mason! You lads ready?!" Bigwig shouted from outside of the burrow.

"Ready for another adventure?" Fiver asked his big brother.

" _Who Dares Wins_." Hazel quoted.

I started to wonder why he quoted. It reminded me of the official motto of United Kingdom's Special Air Services.

* * *

We continued to journey on for the morning, as we stopped for a short bite to eat of some grass, before heading out. We needed the nourishment to fill our stomachs. Afterwards, we started continue on the fields up north. I looked up towards the skies and clouds and saw no sign of Kehaar and Hannah. I was sure that they may have already beat us to the chase. However, if they did, we'll be meeting with them half the way to free Tyler.

"Everyone look!" Fiver exclaimed.

We stopped and went over to see that Fiver found a small stream.

"We could follow the path that could lead us back to the road and find a _hrududu_." Fiver thought.

"Not a bad idea at all." I smiled.

We continued to follow the stream, until the stream ends with a road ahead of us called Union Lane. We tried to stay away much of human activity as possible, until we smell something very good.

"Is that lettuces and carrots I'm smelling?" Bigwig sniffed.

"Cabbages and turnips!" Hazel started.

"We may hit the motherload!" I said.

"Motherload?" Pipkin said.

"It's a expression of finding a big finding or a jackpot." I explained.

"You won't have to call whatever Mason said, twice!" Dandelion was eager and started to follow the smell. Without evening noticing a car just zoomed past him, and he was nearly ran over. Frightened, he ran back towards us and hid behind a bush.

"Maybe not I won't have to call twice, but think twice." I said.

"I-I-I couldn't agree more." Dandelion startled.

We all decided to wait for no sign of cars. After five minutes, the cars' engines were silent and no sign of sports cars. We decided to dare ourselves again like before and crossed the street quickly, as the rabbits once again quoted "Who Dares Wins". After we cross, I thought it was near to the appropriate time to ask.

"Why do you guys keep saying 'Who Dares Wins'?" I asked.

"It's a motto that the _Owsla_ use." Bigwig answered.

"I even heard of that motto used before." I added.

"By hearing it multiple times?" Dandelion asked with a laugh.

"Or by someone else?" Pipkin asked.

"A matter of fact, yes. It's the same motto it was being used by the United Kingdom's Special Air Services." I answered.

The rabbits looked at each other and looked back at me.

"What's the Special Air Services?" Fiver asked.

"The Special Air Services is a special forces unit from the British Army and they do operations like counter-terrorism, covert, hostage rescue and others." I answered.

"Is it by imagination or is it 'man' try to take our sayings and apply for their own mottoes." Bigwig was curious.

"No, it maybe as it seems, but humans try to make the catchphrases or mottoes fitting." I explained.

"Next thing you'll know that 'men' would take all of the quotes from our culture and use it for theirs." Hawkbit mumbled.

* * *

When we arrived to the farm, I saw a signage said "Summerhurst Farm". We passed the house and find a garden of _Flayrah_ that we could feast on.

"We might as well be able to grab a bite to eat, before the farmer comes out and spotted us." I worried.

"Don't worry, we'll just have to keep on sharp eye for a dog or cat." Bigwig said.

I nodded. We started to eat some of the carrots, cabbage, lettuce, and beets. While I was eating, the appetite filled my stomach. At the same time, I still miss some of the foods that I used to eat while I was human. The only thing I could only say is recall the memories about different foods that I ate. As we finished our feast. A farmer came out from the back door of the house and spotted us.

"You bloody rabbits, you're going to kill my garden!" the farmer shouted and went back to the house.

"Guys, I think we should try to grab what we have and run for it." I suggested.

"Mason, you worry too much and besides a dog wouldn't be coming out with that 'man'." Bigwig chuckled.

I knew something would have gone down. The farmer came back with his bolt action and started to aim at us.

"Run!" Hazel told us.

I didn't have to be told twice this time and I started to run. The first shot rang out, I looked behind to see if anyone was hurt, but luckily no one seemed to be hurt. I hurried to a bush, faster than "Jack". When we got further away from the barn, we finally regrouped with a very few ration of _Flayrah_ left. Everyone was catching their breath after a mile jog.

"Thank _Frith_ , none of us were hurt." Hazel was thankful.

"I say." Bigwig took a few breaths.

"At least we managed to fill ourselves with some _Flayrah_ , before 'man' came." Pipkin said.

"Great job of you my lad!" Bigwig praised.

"Where do we go now?" Hawkbit asked.

I started to look up on your phone and saw that we went up further northeast. When I zoomed out, it appears to have a small pond where we could be able to take our break, before continuing with our journey.

"If we keep going, we could be approaching by a small pond where we could have another break, than continue to head further to find another road, possible a neighborhood that we could find a car to take us to the reserve." I planned.

"A small water break would do us that and we'll be able to continue and find Tyler." Hazel said.

I nodded.

"How could you be able to know where we are?" Fiver asked.

"I look up on my phone for Google Mapsfor GPS guide." I answered.

"Google Maps?" Hawkbit wondered.

"GPS?" Hazel asked.

I chuckled just because there are newer things everyday that rabbits could still learn about humans or two.

"Learning things everyday." Bigwig said.

"I'm afraid so, but it's okay. Google is part of a internet company that humans search on the internet. However, they could use Google as GPS, or global positioning system for short, through Google Maps." I explained.

The rabbits were amused about how "men" could learn cultures of their own.

"They learn their culture through... the internet?" Fiver asked.

"Sometimes, but not everything on the internet has the answers that's why we could learn from books." I smiled. "And of course the use for entertainment."

"I believe that it's fascinating that us rabbits could learn much about 'humans' through your story-telling." Dandelion said.

"Don't forget about Tyler, he shares the contribution too." I said, as Hawkbit made a stern look at Dandelion.

"Oh... quite right. Through the both of you." he corrected himself.

At the same time, I felt that it was interesting to learn about their cultures as well. Since my first visit, I learned their cultures through their games and activities, story-telling, and of course their language. I envy of the rabbits. I could wish that humans could understand each other, by understanding their views, at the same time you continue to embrace your own, like I still.

"I have to say the same thing too, I always enjoyed to learn new things about the games you all taught me, especially from Fiver. Story-telling from Hazel, Dandelion, and Pipkin. How could you all end up having to tolerate my beliefs, as I tolerate yours?" I said.

"You understand us, we understand you." Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder, as the rabbits smiled.

"Love." I brought up.

"Of course, you showed us your love, compassion, and kindness, unlike other 'humans' would show towards us." Hawkbit added.

"I'm sure some humans could show love back to you." I said.

"Sometimes... some 'humans' do like your parents and your sister, however unlike 'Hugh' and 'Clayton' doesn't understand." Fiver mentions.

"'Good love is hard to come by.'" I quoted.

"What was it you quoted from?" Pipkin asked.

"It's from a song I used to listen to while I was little, I'll show the song to you sometime." I said.

"We'll like that. Now, we should continue to be on our way." Hazel said.

We decided to dust ourselves from our run and conversation, as we continued to journey on.


	9. Past Experience and Fatherly Bond

Chapter 9

We have been travelling since nearly a hour after we left from the farm. We spotted a small pond that we could drink a short of water, as we could rest a little bit, before continuing. We started to drink a little bit of water. For me, I was thirsty that I couldn't be able to stop. However, I saw a yellow and black bug just flew around by me with a buzz and I stopped drinking. It flew away into a short distance behind us. I started to feel a little shaky as my heart started to beat quickly than the encounters I have with the farmers before. Even Fiver had the feeling too, as I started breathe quickly.

"Fiver what's wrong?" Hazel asked his little brother.

 _A man, who fears of stings would be stung, as a bonded relative takes the stings. Man would be spotted by his own kind. Tyler's free and All of us return._

"A vision again?" Bigwig asked.

"I'm afraid so. I feared for Tyler, however also mostly for Mason." Fiver worried.

"He's safe with us and we won't lose him, like..."

"Like Tyler?" Fiver interrupted Hazel.

"Not exactly, but we'll find him, no matter what." he comforts his little brother.

Fiver looked over to see that I couldn't stop shivering. "Mason, what is it?"

"I think we should leave now." I said.

Hazel came over towards us. "There's no problem we should fear here. We don't have any sign of _elil_."

I knew when someone would say there's nothing to be afraid or nothing is there, I still intend to see that I hear or see something. I looked around to see nothing is there. However, after I stepped away from the water, I tripped over a rock and fell next to a hole. My shivering continues as I started to move away from it and one by one I started to see a yellow and black bugs flying out of the holes. They started to fly around me and I started to panic, as they land on me and started to sting and bite me.

The rabbits were on the ground frozen and they didn't want to risk it. They could see me I was running around as a made rabbit. I screamed and shouted for help, as these hornets were continuously stinging and biting all over. I closed my eyes with my paws covering them. Tears started to leak from the closed eyelids and the hornets would fly on them and drink it, before continuing with the stings and bites. Moments after of the torment, I was being tackled into the water and finding myself underwater. The hornets were no longer were biting nor stinging on me. I opened my eyes to see two rabbits were keeping me underwater, as they took the beating.

It wasn't until seconds later, the hornets flew away and I felt bodies collapsed around me. My breathing was short and I had to resurface for air. I coughed until I was able to breathe. However, I felt dizzy that I fainted without knowing, who saved me.

* * *

I woke up after feeling a bit of sting from a dabs of water, with petals from a plant on my bite and sting marks. I tried to stand up, until I was set back down onto the softness of grass I was lying on.

"Don't push it Mason, you need to get your bit of strength back for the day." I heard the voice I could easily recognize as my guardian angel.

"Hazel?" I tried to speak.

I look up to see it was Hazel, Fiver, and the rest of the _Owsla_ were all next to me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"At first you were hopping around like a mad buck, until Hazel and Hawkbit rescued you." Bigwig explained.

I knew without a doubt that Hazel came to my rescue. The surprising was that Hawkbit rescued me as well. I looked at him with shock.

"I had to say something and you were screaming in pain." Hawkbit said.

My shock faded with a smile upon both of them. "I don't know how to thank both of you."

"Do you even know how to stand still when there were bees flying around?" Bigwig asked me.

"I did, but they aren't bees. They were hornets that came underground hole that I accidentally stumble upon from tripping over a rock." I said.

Hazel placed his paw on me. "Whatever they're, they won't be able to hurt you, because they're gone."

I took off some of the petals and saw the tiniest hole stinger mark, with a bite marks. "I never thought I was going to encounter them again."

"You have this encounter of them before?" Fiver asked.

 _When I was little, back in California, my mother used to coach my sister's soccer game and my father took me and one of cousins named Thomas to see her game. As we're walking, it appeared that we stepped on a hole that turns out to be a hornets' nest. Dozens of them came out and me and Dad were being repetitively bit and stung. My dad would swat some of them off of me, so I wouldn't get stung and/or bitten. I continued to run as fast, fast, and fast as I could. Thomas on the other hand, just saw us running around, like you guys thought I was_ crazy.

The rabbits felt of remorse that I had to go through deja vu. Hazel and the rest of the rabbits were relieved that he and Hawkbit managed to intervene.

"I'm sorry this happened before." Fiver placed his paw on my shoulder.

I nodded and placed my paw on Fiver's. "Where are we?"

"We're still on the fields, but we're not far from 'man'." Hazel answered.

I grabbed my phone and I started to locate ourselves and found out we're near an alley that we could be able to find a vehicle. Even though I looked up to see the day was drawing near to an end.

"We need to keep moving." I said.

"Mason, we need to stop for the night, more importantly you need to rest. Tomorrow morning you'll be better." Hazel said.

"What happens if we're too late to save Tyler?!" I exclaimed.

"I know that Tyler won't stop running! He's not scared of anything." Hawkbit said.

"Even with Hugh and Clayton, I know how Tyler and I encountered with Clayton." I hesitated.

"Look lads, let's just set up this burrow for the night and continue in the morning." Bigwig suggested, as Pipkin and Dandelion started to dig.

* * *

My worries became so weary that could decrease the morale that we could turn away the hope. I couldn't be able to dig, as the stings and bites still kept me down.

"Hazel, even though we kept continuing on to find Tyler. I fear that he probably stopped running." I feared.

"Don't talk like that!" Hazel said.

"I know how Hugh and Clayton are, being locked into a cage without breathing outside air."

"Mason, you're talking rhetoric. I know you don't mean that!" he said.

I turned away. "We have been on the journey for about two days, we haven't heard from Kehaar and Hannah for a while, except they should wait until we arrived."

Hazel hopped over towards me. "They don't know because we aren't there, but we're close."

"I just can't believe." I said gloomily negative.

Hazel knew that I wasn't myself. "This isn't like you, you're giving up! What's gotten into you? You have my support to help you find Tyler. You got everyone to help you."

I looked to see everyone else smiled at me, as they were wrapping up digging a burrow. My head and spirits were down.

"You just got to believe that we could find Tyler and bring him home." Hazel encourages.

"Like you and the rest of the rabbits had to find Watership Down?" I asked.

Hazel was surprised. "Since when did I tell you about that?"

I smiled. "I'm sure you and everyone else had to find a new home."

"We did. It was because Fiver had a vision that Sandleford was going to be destroy. Me and Fiver, along with Blackberry, Bigwig, Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Pipkin decided to search out for a better home." Hazel said.

"And we did." Fiver continued.

Hazel placed his arm around him. "It's important to never lose hope and you need to believe."

"I'm sorry, I guess after I was stung and bitten, the trials were starting to be difficult with obstacles." I apologized.

"Life has obstacles and you were taught about it too." Fiver said.

"Since long as I can remember, I always hear that 'Life has obstacles.'" I recalled. However, it still didn't help because the real advisers were my parents, but I still come to realize that they were gone.

"Only if they're still here." I said.

"Mason, you're parents are with you. In your heart." Hazel placed his paw onto my chest where my heart is.

I nodded. "You're right."

Hazel smiled.

"Let's try to go to sleep." I suggest.

Fiver nodded. "Never a bad idea to have brightful cheer on the next day."

The three of us snuggle, as Hazel lie in between us. As I was on his right, I couldn't stop thinking about if I wanted to call him "Dad" or "Stepfather".

"Hazel?"

Hazel lightly woke up. "What is it Mason?"

"Can I call you, Dad?" I asked.

"Why?" he asked.

"Well, since my father was gone. And of course the first time we met, I pictured you alike my father. How you look after me and how you took care of me. I also think it's best to call you that because you showed both of the personalities of my mother and father." I explained.

Hazel was touched, as he nuzzled me. "If you really wished to call me that, I would be honored to call you my son."

I got up and hugged him. Tears of joy came down, as I was embracing my newly adopted father.

"Goodnight Dad." I gave him a kiss and I snuggled on his side.

"Goodnight Son." Hazel patted his paw on my head and sat his arm around me.

I held on into his arm, as I was being rocked to sleep from his breathing and the beating, loving and kindness heart.


	10. Framed

Chapter 10

The constable was back at the station still trying to figure out about Mason's whereabouts. An officer came into his office to see he was still investigating.

"What do you need sir?" the constable asked as he stood up in position.

"I was checking up with you John, regarding about the American family killed off at Ecchinswell." the sergeant said.

"Still trying to figure out about the American boy, sir. I had seen him there, until hours later, he disappeared without trace." John claimed.

"I had a old buddy of mind said that he might have killed his family and escape." the sergeant said.

"That's not possible. The boy seemed to be in shock and in grief. He couldn't be the suspect." John protested.

A knock came behind the closed door.

"He's actually here." the sergeant stated.

The door opened and it was Hugh.

"Sergeant, what is he doing here?!" John asked.

"Let's say I tipped him off regarding for an escape." Hugh said.

The constable became confused until he tried to drew his firearm, but the sergeant pulled his first.

"Now listen here, John. You're going to stop investigating about the boy as missing." the sergeant said, while aiming his weapon.

"What do you want?" John asked.

Hugh came forward with wanted papers showing Mason Smith's face. "This boy here was the author of a book that his unfortunate father helped him write. It's best to blame the boy and think that the boy is delusional."

"I seem the boy myself, I won't go by your demands." John hesitated.

Hugh pulled out his firearm. "If you don't, you'll probably join the boy in death or lose the family of your own."

John looked at his desk and saw a picture of his family. He sighed and decided to give in.

"If I find him, I'll let you know."

Hugh holstered his firearm. "Here is my number, unless you informed the sergeant, it will probably save the trouble." He than put on his hat, with disguised clothing and left.

The sergeant looked back at John. "If you even informed this to anyone else, you're buttocks will be out of the force."

"Yes sergeant." John agreed.

They both came out of the room to inform the rest of the constables that Mason Smith was the murderer of his own family. The sergeant, with Chief Constable's approval, authorized the search of Mason Smith to be arrested and taken alive.

* * *

 _The latest development of the American Family murdered, has a suspect under the name Mason Smith. The fifteen year-old son, who is co-author of his father's novel and has Autism, may have murdered the family and escaped to be presumed missing. Anyone, who has information regarding to his whereabouts must inform the authorities._

Tyler, without wearing his vest, because it was taken away from him, watches the television seeing that Mason was framed. He even watched Clayton laughing, as Clayton was snacking on some tarts. Tyler tried to break through the cage, but he couldn't be able to get out without a key.

"I have to warn Mason. He's probably looking for me by now!" Tyler said quietly. He tries to look around him to see he could tried to reach for something he could pick the lock on the desk. Tyler than found a paperclip that was lying there and it wasn't far from him.

"The old paper clip trick." he said to himself. He started to reach for the paperclip. However, he couldn't be able to reach it. He than started push the cage towards the paperclips direction. After it jerkily moved, Clayton turned around to see the cage was still standing.

Tyler saw him looking at his direction, he froze until Clayton turned away back towards the TV. Tyler resumes to grab the paperclip. However since the cage slightly moved, he manages to successfully grab the paperclip and started to pull his arm back in. He started to bend the paperclip into a straight shape, until a door unlocks. He quickly hid it by lying on top of it.

"Clayton?" Hugh's voice called for him.

"What, Dad?" Clayton asked.

"Don't try to stay up too late and turn off the news." Hugh said.

"Oh come on, Mason would never know what would come for him." his son whined.

"I'm sure, Son. I'm sure." Hugh said. "Just turn on a different channel on the tele."

"Alright." Clayton said as he changed the channel.

Hugh went over to check on the rabbit at his desk. Tyler pretended to be sleeping, as Hugh shook the cage. "If you dare to escape, I'll just hunt you down and make a coating out of you."

Tyler breathed quickly, as Hugh left. He watched him leave the room and started to pick-lock the cage with the paperclip.

* * *

In the next morning, we got up and left our encampment burrow and headed towards Ram Alley. When we got into the road, we spotted a transportation hub. We could see other cars that are parked in the lot.

"Now, how are we going to be able to hop on the _hrududu_?" Dandelion asked.

"Like we did before, find a opening and hop on." Bigwig said.

"Unless I could hop onto the driver's seat and take for a spin." I joked.

"You driving a _hrududu_?" Bigwig disbelief.

"No I can't. However, if I was old enough and still human, I could be able to drive. And of course, we could hot-wire the car and you could help me with the pedals."

Dandelion and Hawkbit laughed.

"Alright that's enough. We'll just find a non-moving _hrududu,_ and we'll ride on it." Hazel instructed.

We headed over to the parking lot and find a transport truck that has some food.

"Enough _Flayrah_ for the trip." Pipkin sniffed.

Dandelion and Hawkbit, without sniffing twice, started eating.

"Do Dandelion and Hawkbit ever even learn what's good and what's not?" I asked Hazel.

He just chuckled. "They would sometimes eat when they're hungry to be a healthy buck."

I smiled. We than heard footsteps and saw a driver got into the truck and started the engine.

"Let's hope it takes us to the National Reserve." I hoped.

"What is it anyway?" Fiver asked.

"A national Reserve, is a protected area or land that concerned humans would protect animals, mostly endangered from hunting or game." I said.

"Have you been to one?" Hazel asked.

"No, but there would be mostly animals that are uncommon around where we're from. Such as, wolves, some wildcats, bears, deers and so forth." I named a few.

"Any rabbits?" Bigwig asked.

"Possibly a few." I answered. "Hardly any humans would be able to disturb them unless they're trained and be able to feed them."

 _Live in our Broadcast News, 15 year old Mason Smith, the missing family member of the American family that were murdered days ago. Is now a prime suspect in large. The Chief Constable issued a capture of the young man._

The rabbits turned at me in shock, as my name was said on the radio. I couldn't even think that I would do something like that to my family.

"Your name is said through the _hrududu_." Pipkin said.

"It's a radio in the car. Why would they accuse me of murdering my own family?!" I asked.

"We know you didn't commit a crime." Hazel protested.

"Oh well... I'm not human and they wouldn't be able to find me." I said.

"You can't be serious! You're not going to protest for your innocence?!" Bigwig asked.

"I could change back, but it'll mean that I could be arrested. I could only remember being helped with a constable, but I'm sure he won't know me. I don't know his name." I added.

Hazel sighed. He knew I only turned back into human because I had to see my family's dead bodies. I cannot go back to where I was, before becoming a rabbit.

The truck than turned right and we drove passed a church that church goers are gathered for a special service. I managed to see through the opened door that a baptism was happening.

"Wow." I said to myself.

"What is it?" Fiver asked.

"I just a baptism is happening at a service in that church." I answered.

"What is a baptism?" he asked.

"A baptism is rite that a pastor sprinkles you with water or they could put you underwater for a few seconds and resurface you back up. The whole purpose of it is letting everyone know that you had confirmed your faith with Jesus Christ." I answered.

"Is that what "man" does?" he asked.

"Every faith is different that they practice though. I could remember my baptism." I said.

"You were baptized?" Fiver asked.

"It was only a year ago though. After I accepted my faith in Christ, I decided that I wanted to be baptized and let everyone know that I accepted my faith and I wanted to confirm it with everybody." I answered.

"What is it like?"

"Well... I had to dress in a white robe. When they called my name, I walked into the stage of the church's sanctuary. They had a small pool they used for Baptism services. The pastor asked me 'if I believed in Jesus Christ, as my Savior?'. I answered with a 'yes'. He than baptized me as a "Christian Brother." When I was lowered in the water, I was being cleansed. Until I was raised back up, I felt joy that I wasn't going to be alone."

"That's a wonderful." he said.

"Thank you." I thanked him with a smile.

* * *

We made another turn for B3051, we heard a noise from above us.

"Long Ears!" a voice that sounded someone we know.

"Rabbits!" another voice came.

"That's Kehaar!" Pipkin shouted.

"And Hannah!" Bigwig also shouted.

Kehaar and Hannah landed on the back of the truck.

"I thought we'll never see you rabbits!" Hannah was thrilled.

"Neither would us as well. Any luck on Tyler?" Hazel asked.

"Yea! We found the home of 'Bad Man' at Brimpton Common." Kehaar answered.

"I guess the truck did have some clues after all." I said.

"What about Tyler is he alright?" Hawkbit asked.

"I checked at the house, however, I did saw Tyler in a cage a day ago. But now, he's not in there." Hannah answered.

"He's gone?!" Hawkbit grew a panic.

"Unless he escaped." Pipkin thought.

"He was caged up and someone had to release him." Fiver said.

"I know one thing about Tyler and the fact that is he's smart. Maybe we could lay low and you and Kehaar could guide him over to the Natural Reserve, where we could regroup." I planned.

"We can't just let him run in the wild alone, Mason!" Hawkbit shouted.

I felt a bad for if there was a chance that he would be lost. "You're right. Someone or a small band could follow Kehaar and Hannah towards Tyler's last sighting."

"I'll go." Hawkbit volunteered.

Everyone looked at him.

"I'll follow Kehaar and Hannah to find my son and bring him back here for regroup." he said.

"But Hawkbit, you hardly know these streets, even if Kehaar could be able to guide you, but you can't go on your own." I said.

"No. I'll bring Dandelion." he pointed at him.

"Me? But Hawkbit be serious, we'll be on our own and we won't be able to find our way back." Dandelion worried.

"Look Dandelion. I could tag you along, because you're best buck that I could have around in a bad situation. I only asked you if you could join me, old friend?"

Dandelion took a minute of thought and smiled with a nod.

"I'll join Hawkbit with Kehaar and Hannah to find Tyler and we'll regroup over at the Reserve." he agreed.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked them both.

"Oh come on, mate. Me and Dandelion sometimes get separated or ended up being on patrol together. We'll be able to find Tyler in no time." Hawkbit assured.

"What about a cat would try to chase you?" Fiver asked.

"Or 'man'?" Bigwig asked.

"No matter, I would do whatever I can to bring Tyler home and they'll have to go through me." Hawkbit bravely stated that I commend for that.

When the truck started to pull into the Reserve, Hawkbit, Dandelion, Kehaar, and Hannah left to find Tyler.

"Remember if something happens, stay put!" Bigwig shouted.

They nodded.

"How would we know if there's trouble?" I asked.

"Simple, lad. One if they don't show or Kehaar and Hannah came back and they're in trouble." he answered.


	11. The Wolf and Hazel's Lullaby

Chapter 11

After we got settled in the reserve, I been feeling guilty because I should have went along with Hawkbit and Dandelion. When we ate some _Flayrah_ , I wasn't too hungry because I should've gone. I began to worry, if something would happen to Tyler and Hawkbit, if they got caught in the dragnet in between Tyler and I. The only way I could beat Hugh and Clayton's recapture of Tyler is that I should head out for the night in effort to join Hawkbit.

Hours into the night, everyone was asleep, except for myself. I decided to sneak out at night and avoid bringing the rest of the group with me. I left the burrow we had made since we arrived and headed out towards the meadows. The night was clear and tried to find Hawkbit's and Dandelion's tracks. By far, I found nothing, so I decided to continue head Northwest. I started to feel a little tired by the time I arrived a small stream. I decided to take a short break and drink some water, before heading out. A rustle of bushes sounded coming from behind. I turned around and I knew that I wasn't alone.

"Who's there?!" I shouted.

The rustle grew louder as it came close and pop comes out Hazel.

"Hazel?!"

"Just what are you doing in the night?!" he asked.

"I'm tagging along Hawkbit in effort to find Tyler." I answered.

"In the night like this?! It's dangerous of a rabbit to hop around at night!" he exclaimed.

"I know and I'm sorry. I just can't risk losing Tyler and also Hawkbit, Dandelion, Kehaar, and Hannah if something happened to them all." I worried.

He took a breath and sighed. "I know you're worried, son. We can't lose another rabbit of our warren and I can't lose you."

"I can't lose you either!" I exclaimed.

We both didn't say anything seconds after, because we feared of losing each other. I felt that he was taking a role as my father.

"Mason, I need you to come back and we could head out in the morning." Hazel suggested.

"I can't. I rather go out now and not knowing something could happen over night." I refused.

* * *

Another rustle through the bushes sounded. We gasped and went defensive if someone was hunting us. We heard a howl that sounded of a wolf.

"We need to go!" I warned.

"Yes, now!" Hazel agreed.

We hurried away from the bushes, however the howl grew louder that it was closer. We decided to separate ourselves to trick the wolf. However, I knew wolves are more smart than dogs and I knew that they wouldn't fall into a trick that easy. I continued to run straight and started to do some sharp turns to slow the wolf down. The trick didn't last very sufficiently when I stumbled on a twig that I fell over face down onto a small stream.

I turned myself over and saw a wolf coming out of the whistle bushes. I was too paralyzed to move that I thought I should have stayed back at the reserve. The wolf was about to pounce for meal time. A figure came out from my right and tackled the wolf. The wolf fell onto the bushes and Hazel started to shield me. The wolf regain back on his feet and growled louder than before when it encountered me. Hazel and I started to run for it from the stream. The wolf managed to catch up and clawed Hazel's knee causing him to fall. I looked behind and saw his fall. I hurried back to him and saw his knee was bleeding.

"You need to run! Go!" he shouted.

"No, I can't leave you!" I begged.

"It's alright son. Now go before-"

The wolf came back and it was my turn to shield and protect Hazel. The wolf moved slowly towards us and I looked up it's eyes. Wolf continued to approach to us. Hazel continued to tell me to "Run!".

However, his voice was muffled when I started to hear what was inside of the wolf's head. It felt like I was mind reading or seeing the wolf's past. I heard that he had a pack with a family over in the mountains, where there was snow. It seemed that the wolf had a happy life, until hunters started poaching. The wolf defended his pack as much as he could, unfortunately it came with a cost of his own family's demise. The pack was than decimated that they scattered without a trace. The wolf was than being hunted again by poachers. Wounded from a shot, but he came across with a gentleman. The man looked familiar like the constable that I met. He than took him in to help the wolf recover and thought it was best to take him to a protected reserve. It fast forward to see he was put into a crate to United Kingdom and he was taken to the _Ashford Hill National Nature Reserve_. The wolf's growling stopped and he stopped moving forward as it gazed at me. I was still gazed at him, while Hazel was mystified what was happening. The wolf than whimpered and came to me and gave me lick, even giving a Hazel on his wound for a apology. The wolf stepped back and ran off behind him.

I was beating fast that I couldn't be able to control my breathing, until I was calm.

Hazel couldn't get over what had happened. He felt like Fiver had appeared out of no where and intervened. "What in _Frith_ 's name did you do?"

After I was calm, I had no relocation what had done. "I don't know. I felt like it was a sixth sense moment. I only looked into the wolf's eyes and than I was given a lick."

Hazel tried to get up, but his injury resisted him to stand. His groan had me remember that he was wounded. "You're hurt!"

"I'm fine." he said.

"Can you walk?" I asked.

He tried to get up, but he ended back on the ground.

"I could try to build a small burrow and we'll head out to find Tyler in the early morning." I planned.

Hazel agreed. I started to dig and gather small bits of bushes and dig a small burrow to hide us for the night. I manged to lightly carry Hazel to the burrow and left to grab some leaves by the stream, and filled a leaf with some water. After coming back to our burrow, Hazel was trying to lick his wound.

"Not always a great way to clean the wound." I said.

He stopped. "It's better than leaving it to bleed out."

I chuckled. "I'm going to apply some water to clean it and put some leaves on it. It may sting."

I raised the water filled leaf and lightly poured on his wound. As the water landed on his teared knee, he groaned and cried out in pain. Afterwards, I put scrap the leaves into some bits and placed them on his wound.

"I'm sure Blackberry could be able to use you for some healing herbs and plants." he complimented.

"For these kinds of healing, probably. However, the basics I got from my mother, who was a nurse." I said. "Does it hurt?"

Hazel lightly moved his injured foot and lightly bend. He felt a bit of sting, as it's healing.

"Not too much."

I went inside the burrow and sat next to him. We both started to look at the sky, without a single cloud and star in sight.

"Hazel."

He turned towards me.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my life."

He smiled. "I have to thank you for not leaving me and being eaten by a wolf."

We both giggled.

"So, what did you see in the wolf?" he than asked.

"I saw himself with a pack. His family." I answered. "His family was than poached by hunters."

"That's terrible." he said.

"He than was rescued by a similar man, back at home and they had him came here." I finished.

"Wow. But how did the wolf spared us?"

"I guess the wolf probably read my mind and we had a little connection. Similar past experiences." I concluded.

"I suppose, but I know certain _elil_ like foxes, weasels, and dogs would go after rabbits. Certainly a wolf could have killed you." Hazel still doesn't understand.

I tried to think. "Maybe some human instinct was bit in me that the wolf sensed maybe."

"Maybe." he said.

I looked back up to see that a star shined in the skies.

"Do you think we'll find Tyler and bring him home?" I asked.

"I know we'll. We have to believe." Hazel encourages.

"I know, but every day into night... I feel we have accomplished little."

"You can't give up. Sometimes you need to believe in yourself that you could be able to find him." he added.

"I'm sorry. I feel like I have been starting to give up, at the same time. My heart would wanted me to keep believing." I tried to cheer myself up.

"I know you won't give up. You helped us and most importantly helped Hawkbit and Clover." he placed his paw on my shoulder.

I lightly smiled.

"I think a goodnight sleep could help you cheer up. In the morning, you and I, Father and Son, well go find Tyler, as we join Hawkbit with the others." he smiled with a yawn.

I lay by his side and I couldn't be able to fall sleep, as doubt and worry was still in my head about tomorrow. "I can't sleep, while my head is still worrying."

"It's alright. I know a idea. I sang it to my children, even Fiver when he was kitten." Hazel said. "Of course, not better than Primrose though."

I laughed a bit, because I recall my mother singing a better lullabies than my father. "That's okay. And thank you." I was snuggled in from his arm on top of me.

 _Like the view from a hill_  
 _I can see you and me_  
 _Like the view from a hill_  
 _It's so easy to see_

 _Here's where we belong_  
 _I feel it so strong_  
 _I see it so clear_  
 _As I always will_  
 _Like the view from a hill_

 _Like a bird in the sky_  
 _I can see us below_  
 _As it all passes by_  
 _I believe that I know_

 _This feeling of love_  
 _Seen from above_  
 _Goes on and on_  
 _And it always will_

 _Like the view from a hill_

 _One day we may want to know_

 _Where did our short lives go_

 _How soon will it end_

 _How strong will it grow_

 _Like the view from a hill_  
 _I can see through the tears_  
 _Like the view from a hill_  
 _I can see down the years_

 _Here's where we belong_  
 _I feel it so strong_  
 _I see it so clear_  
 _As I always will_  
 _Like the view from a hill_

 _Like the view from a hill_

As he was finishing his song with some hums, I was than a sleep like a baby and given a nuzzle.

"Goodnight son." Hazel said. He than closed his eyes went to sleep.


	12. Tyler's Rescue

Chapter 12

Hawkbit and Dandelion were in the streets of Brimpton Common. It was silent neighborhood at night and not a single sight of anyone was out. They started to look for the white van that took Tyler away.

"Hawkbit, there's no way we could find a white _hrududu_ at night like this." Dandelion complained.

"Go back if that's what you want!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

Hawkbit started to stroll through the houses, if a truck is white. He even started to investigate by peeking through the front window of a house. When he saw no sign of his son, he just huffed and continues with the next house. Dandelion rejoined Hawkbit from searching from the other side of the block.

"Any sign of him?" Hawkbit asked.

"I'm sorry to say, Hawkbit. I haven't." Dandelion sadly answered.

Hawkbit than went by the next house and peeked through the window. He than spotted a humans were in the dining room table, eating together as a family. He was curious, even Dandelion peeked through with him. They watched the family embraced and make some jokes that the rabbits don't understand. Afterwards they talk about plans for a simple planning for a family activity for the weekend. Hawkbit felt that the humans have some heart. He started to remember what he heard.

 _Not everyone is evil and does bad things. You could believe that there's some goodness in this world than bad_. He heard what Mason said to him.

"Hawkbit, are you alright?" Dandelion asked.

Hawkbit continues to watch the goodness that a human family shared among themselves. He than felt a nudge of a paw from Dandelion and came back.

"What is it? What is it?" he asked.

"I was trying to ask you something." Dandelion answered.

"What is it then, spit it out?" Hawkbit asked.

"Nevermind, come on. We'll find Tyler and bring him home."

Hawkbit continued to watch the family, until seconds later. He looked back and learned something that he has to find for himself when he looks closer.

* * *

As Tyler manages to free himself from the cage. Although, he was still lost inside the house in effort to find a way out. Luckily, he wasn't spotted that Clayton was away with his friends and Hugh was busy. Tyler hid underneath the couch until it was dark that he started to look for a possible way to escape. He hopped towards the living room window and watches the outside world. He felt a bit warm for the fact, he wasn't in the orphanage, not because it was bad, but used to longed what a house would look like inside. He spotted two figures from the other side of the block. They were small and had long ears.

"Dad?"

He looked behind him and saw no one is there. He started to wave for his dad.

* * *

Meanwhile, Hawkbit and Dandelion still continued to search until they were tired.

"Oh Dandelion, he has to be here somewhere. I doubt he could walk out of a 'house'." Hawkbit started to lose faith.

"But you can't lose your faith, you have to believe." Dandelion encourages him.

"You're right, we may never know that he might be in the other side." Hawkbit said.

They head across from where they were and saw a waving figure. They have no idea, who could it be.

"Is it strange that someone could wave at a strange night like this?" Dandelion asked.

"I'll go take a look." Hawkbit said.

He slowly hopped closer to the house and than to the window. He saw a rabbit was waving and trying to shout for him. Hawkbit looked closer and realized that it was Tyler.

"Tyler!" Hawkbit discovered his son.

"Dad!" Tyler was joyful that his dad has found him.

"Dandelion! I found him!" Hawkbit shouted for Dandelion.

Dandelion hurried over and saw Tyler. "How are we going to get him out?"

Hawkbit started to think, however he could think he saw that Tyler is gone.

* * *

Tyler started to look around for a opening. "I know that the front door is out of the question." He hopped around the house until he found the stairs that leads upstairs.

"One way to find out." he said quietly to himself.

He started to climb up the stairs quickly, but quietly. When he reached for the top, he saw different doors that leads to different rooms. He first searched the first door to his right, but it was the office he was locked into the cage and didn't even have a window. He checked the next door to find Clayton's room and he remembered that the son was gone. He spotted his Zune HD, his vest with a backpack and headphones on Clayton's desk. He hopped onto the chair and to the desk to grab his rightful belongings and putted on his vest. He even quickly glanced through his playlists to see nothing changed, including his battery life.

"If I don't find a way out, I may have to break out from the attic, if there's one." He said, as he tucked away his Zune HD in his vest backpack's back pocket and placed his headphones around him.

He started to hop forward, until suddenly he heard snoring. He found that the door is slightly cracked that he gently pushed the door, until he was able to squeeze in. He entered the room to find Hugh was fast asleep and snoring.

 _Alright, he's out. I just can't make any noise or it's over._ he thought to himself.

He looked around for a key to see he could try to unlock the front door of the house. He checked from the opened, and accessible drawers, and top of the drawers. Tyler than felt a breeze brushed on him. He looked to see the window was propped open.

 _A way out!_ he thought to himself with silver lining.

He hopped towards a chair and climbed on it and manages to make a single leap to the window. Although, he can't be able to hop, but he slowly crawled without leaning towards his right that he could land on the floor. When he made it, he manages to stand up and carefully hopped onto the bricked roof. He started to hop until he saw his dad and Uncle Dandelion.

"Dad, Uncle Dandelion, up here!" he tried to quietly shout to get their attention.

They looked up to see Tyler was out of the house.

"Oh great _Frith_ , you made it!" Dandelion exclaimed.

"Great son, now come down and we could head for home!" Hawkbit shouted.

Tyler nodded. He made a leap onto the white van and the alarm sound started to go off. It spooked Tyler that he jumped and fell upon Hawkbit and Dandelion. After a minor fall, they got back onto their feet. They have a embracing reunite by a hug. Tyler missed his father and he couldn't wait to see his mother, along with brothers, aunts and uncles. The car alarm continued to chirp, that they came back to see that they're in a imminent danger.

"We need to run, now!" Tyler shouted as he bolted from them.

They followed him to back to Brimpton Lane, regrouped with Kehaar and Hannah, and all of them started to head towards the woods.

* * *

The alarm woke up Hugh and fell out of his bed. He fell hard on his head and started to wake up. When he looked outside his car alarm was going off. He grabbed his van keys and shut off the alarm. Before he went back to bed, he thought he should check on Tyler.

"I might as well check on that rabbit."

He walked downstairs and found the table where the cage was at. It was dark that he could barely see, he turned on the lights and saw that the rabbit is gone. He became shocked and he started to look for the rabbit all over the house. He than went outside and sniffed rabbit scent. He even saw a landing mark on his lawn.

"He wouldn't! He couldn't have got into my house! It'll ruin everything!"

Re-entering to the house, he head upstairs and dialed for the sergeant.

"Hello?"

"Sergeant, it was that American kid, he broke into my house!" he shouted.

"What are you talking about? Do you know what time it is?" the sergeant wasn't surprised from having a call that late.

"I need you to head out to find that kid and bring him to me!" Hugh exclaimed.

"Look, we have already have warrant and a wanted ad of him. I doubt he couldn't have broke into your house, unless he stole something."

"He did! He stole my rabbit!" Hugh added.

The phone went silent.

"Look, I would like to help you, but we're dealing with a murderer not a rabbit-napping." the sergeant answered. "You're on your own." The call went dead.

Furious, he threw his phone onto the lawn. "I'll get you Mason Smith, if it is the last thing I'll do!"


	13. Gramsie

Chapter 13

Author's Note: I would like to dedicate this chapter to my Gramsie Colquitt. She has passed away on October 4th, 2017. Rest In Peace Gramsie.

I started to shiver as the early morning was around the corner. I started to dream of seeing my grandmother. I could only recall the times that she would come over to visit and also when my parents drove me and Alice to visit her at Washington State. I remember the times that we would go outside of her's and grandpa's house and walked around. Even times that she would drive us around. I even enjoy having conversations with her when we talk about our lives. I than noticed I had a missed phone call that I called back and I was told that she passed away from a stroke/brain aneurysm. I couldn't be able to cry, until I blasted some songs about loss and it made me cry.

"Mason?" a voice was calling my name that sounds like my Gramsie.

I felt that she was there and I was going to see her face to face. However, when I woke up... it was only Hazel. I came back from a happy-hunting dream. Even though I'm still a rabbit, her memories still embodies me where I go.

"You have a bad dream?" Hazel asked.

I wiped my eyes, like I felt tears were coming down. However, a tear started to fall that Hazel wiped the tear off that was falling to my cheek.

"There now. What is it? Tell me."

I shook my head as it was nothing. There were so much worries that we had to deal with already, I can't go back to the day that my Gramsie passed. However, like my parents it was the best to talk to someone.

"I dreamed that I was spending time with my Gramsie." I answered.

"Who?" Hazel asked.

"Gramsie. She's my grandmother from my mother's side. We normally call her Gramsie than Grandma." I answered.

"Someone you knew I suppose." he said.

"Very much. I dreamed that she was still here. If only I could say my 'goodbye' before she slept from this world." I added.

"Do you recall the last time you seen her?" he asked.

"The last time I saw her was for a congratulations party for my Dad, on one of his publishing books. I managed to say 'goodnight and goodbye ' because she had to go back to Washington with Grandpa. I than haven't seen her or spoke to her until three to four weeks later that Mom messages me that Gramsie was hospitalized and she was heading over to Washington. Wasn't until about eight hours later, she passed away." I started to cry later in the evening, while listening to some songs.

"I'm sorry Mason." Hazel said, as he gave me a comfort hug.

"If only I could be able to see her in her final hours just to say 'I love you and goodbye.'" I wished.

Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder and patted.

"In the dream, I heard her calling my name and I thought I was going to see her face to face, but... I woke up." I finished telling Hazel my dream.

"I'm sorry I woke you up and you couldn't see her." he apologized.

"I wouldn't worry. I know that I will see her again in Heaven. That's the only comforting thing I could say." I said.

"You know, when a rabbit stops running and it was someone we know and/or we loved, their spirits are inside our hearts, like how our ancestors in us." Hazel said.

I started to remember. "Same for my family and/or anyone I knew that their memories still embodied in my heart."

"Too right." he smiled.

"What would you also do if you loved someone very much and try to cope?" I asked.

"How my ancestors did, carry on." he stated.

"I could imagine that it's also hard to carry on, until years past that you moved on." I said.

Hazel nodded and looked up towards the sky and it was started to be dawning.

" _Frith_ has rose for a new day." he said.

I looked up at the skies and the sun was dawning.

"A new day that only God knows what he has in stores to this day." I said.

Hazel looked back at me. "I'm happy you still kept your faith, even when you decided to become a rabbit."

"I still have to trust in God's love and faith, and above all Jesus Christ. They have been part of my life, since I accepted Jesus to my heart." I stated.

"You need to use that faith of Jesus Christ and believe that we could find Tyler. As I trust in _Frith_." Hazel boldly says and I give him credit of saying Jesus' name.

"Thank you, Hazel." I hugged him, as he hugged back.

"And remember... the loss of your loved ones are always with you, in your heart and in your spirit." he placed his paw onto my chest.

I nodded. We than started to journey on to find Hawkbit, Dandelion, and hopefully Tyler.


	14. Reunited

Chapter 14

Tyler, Hawkbit, Dandelion, Kehaar, and Hannah woke up after they had hid over night by the covered bushes.

"Son, are you ready to return home?" Hawkbit asked.

"Home is a wonderful word Dad." Tyler answered.

"We need to let Hazel and the others know that we found Tyler and heading towards our way." Hannah hopped onto Kehaar's back. Kehaar flew upwards and started to fly South.

"Hopefully, they weren't that much for the long wait." Dandelion said.

Tyler smiled to hear his relatives, following his kidnap. Hawkbit looked back at him.

"Son, I understand that having a family is wonderful. I'm sure you're happy of having your brothers."

"Of course I'm. I'm sure they would be thrilled to see, including Mom." Tyler assured.

"I know. I had done a lot of thinking about how much I took for granted about you were as a human and Mason." Hawkbit started to recollect his behavior towards humans.

"Dad, you have always loved me since you adopted me. I can't even tell you how many times that I love you Dad. I'm sure Mason would loved you too, since he's part of family." Tyler said.

"Well. I guess my lesson about love comes from you, your mother, and Mason." Hawkbit said.

Tyler hugged his dad suddenly. Hawkbit than accepted the hug and started to tear.

"I missed you so much, I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you again."

"Dad, I forgive you. Mostly, it's my fault. I'm the one should be careful. If you were taken, I would done the same thing." Tyler added.

"I know you would have." Hawkbit smiled.

"Come on, enough with the chit chat. We need to meet up with Hazel and the _Owsla_ , and Mason." Dandelion exclaimed.

The trio started their journey.

* * *

Meanwhile, Hazel and I continued to journey to find Hawkbit. We than stopped for a quick break.

"Do you think they may have found Tyler?" I asked.

"Hopefully, I believe I do." Hazel hoped.

"Hazel! Mason!" we heard a seagull accent's voice.

We saw Kehaar was soaring above the trees and started to descend for a landing. Instead, he crashed into the grass. I hopped over to see if he was alright, but he just got up and dusted off. I chuckled because I have been seeing him crash landing since, I lived at Watership Down.

"Perfect landing?" I asked.

"Yea, perfect landing." he said.

"Perfect landing?! Kehaar you made better landings than this!" she joked.

Me and Hazel shook our heads.

"Hawkbit found Tyler, and they're heading their way towards you to regroup." Hannah said.

I took a relief breath that Tyler was found and safe.

"Thank _Frith_!" Hazel was relieved. "We're heading our way towards them."

"Are they being followed?" I asked.

"We haven't seen anyone following us." Kehaar answered.

"We'll follow you to meet up and we'll group with the others at the reserve." Hazel suggested.

Kehaar started to take off, as Hannah held on. They flew towards the sky and we started to follow his path.

* * *

It was only about five minutes after we followed Kehaar, we spotted a small band of rabbits. That was when I saw Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Tyler, I ran towards Tyler and gave him a brotherly hug.

"Tyler, I'm sorry." I apologized.

"Don't worry about it, Mason." he just smiled.

"Are you hurt or did he put something in?" I asked, because I know what Hugh and Clayton could have done to him.

"He put a syringe and I was put to sleep, but I don't what he did." he recalled.

I could only picture him being in a cage and I couldn't tell him or know what they could have done to him. All the matters is that he's safe.

"We need to head our way back to the reserve before, Bigwig and the others are worried." Hazel said.

We'll agreed and we headed back. Before I started to follow, I was stopped back Hawkbit.

"Mason, thank you." he said.

"Your welcome." I said.

"And I have to thank you again." he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Yesterday, I felt a bit of change of how I felt about 'man'. I'll tell you about it sometime." he answered.

We smiled and headed our way back to the reserve.

* * *

Bigwig was waiting outside of the burrow on guard. He was watching over Fiver and Pipkin eating some grass. Pipkin stopped eating and came towards him.

"Bigwig, don't you think they'll be back?" he asked.

"I'm sure they would, when they find Tyler." he answered.

"The only misunderstanding is that I don't know. Why Mason headed off?" Fiver joined.

"I believed that he had to join Hawkbit, because he couldn't be able to leave Hawkbit and Dandelion lost, if Kehaar lost his way." Bigwig answered.

"Hopefully, Hazel was able to find Mason and the others, as well as Tyler." Fiver hoped.

They gasped when they heard Kehaar flying above.

"Kehaar, down here!" Bigwig called.

"Bigwig! Bigwig!" Kehaar descended and accidentally crashed into Bigwig.

Fiver and Pipkin giggled.

"Sorry, Bigwig!" he was overjoyed and apologetic.

"It's alright, any news about Tyler, Hawkbit and Dandelion, and Mason and Hazel?" he asked.

"Hawkbit found Tyler! Everyone is on there way to meet you!" Kehaar was flapped his wings.

"Where are they though?" Bigwig asked.

"Actually we're right here." I surprised Bigwig, as he jumped.

"Tyler! You're alright!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"Thank _Frith_!" Fiver was overjoyed with Pipkin.

"How did you escape?" Pipkin asked Tyler.

"Well, let's say that I have been out of the cage in the house for a while by picking the lock. I wander the house for a while for a way out at night and found no where. Until I saw Dad and Uncle Dandelion, he was outside of the house and I felt more determined than before that I had to find a way out. I came across to 'the man's' room and his window was opened. I climbed and I got out of the house through the roof and hopped down." Tyler explained his escape.

"That was daring!" I complimented.

" _Who Dares Wins._ " Bigwig quoted.

"Ready to head for home, Tyler?" Hawkbit asked his son.

"Home is a wonderful word Dad." Tyler agreed.

"Couldn't agree more." Fiver followed.

Everyone else, including myself agreed. We started our journey home by leaving the reserve and the road.


	15. Mason and Hugh

Chapter 15

As we turned from B3051, we proceeded to follow the Ashford Rd, by staying on left side of the road. We're about to turn, as we're near the church, Fiver and Tyler stopped.

"What is it Fiver?" Tyler asked.

"We stopped by this church and Mason told me about his experience of 'Baptism'." Fiver answered.

"I'm sure that's where he got the heart from, by his faith." Tyler said.

"Still, I'm sure he would wanted to see a church inside. He wasn't himself since his family has passed." Fiver worried.

Tyler looked back at the rest of the rabbits. He felt sympathy and condolence. "Maybe we should all gone in and try to help Mason move on with his grief."

Fiver nodded his head.

"Mason, Hazel!" Fiver called.

We stopped and noticed that Fiver was calling for us. We turned back and hopped back towards Fiver and Tyler.

"What is it, brother?" Hazel asked.

"We should visit this 'church', since I talked with Mason, I wonder what it's like." Fiver suggested.

"You got a hope, come on we have to return home." Bigwig said.

"Why?" I asked.

"It's for you. You were in grief and normally it's appropriate that we could have a quick funeral for your parents." Tyler answered.

"There might be 'humans' inside." Dandelion said.

"It's a week day normally on Sundays there would be services. We should be alright." Tyler assured.

We than started to follow Fiver and Tyler. When we arrived to the church's entrance, it looked more of a Catholic.

"I think it's a Catholic church." I assumed.

"Actually it's a Anglican Church. More appropriate to call 'The Church of England'." Tyler corrected me.

I started to rub my Crucifixion Cross and I was changed into a human. I felt different and my emotion state was more sadden since my family passed.

"Mason?" Hazel asked.

"It's okay Hazel." I said.

I opened the door and it was empty. Except there were a row of chairs and a few church pews were there. I walked further towards the sanctuary, where the stained glass shined upon the church's pedestal. I walked and stopped at the spot where the light shined. I took a moment of silence and prayer to reflect on the loss of my

The rabbits hopped around only to look at the Victorian, gothic style inside the church. At one point, Hazel saw what he called a tiny fire stick. I told him later, that it was a candle. He even gently touched the long candlestick. The candlestick shook, and started to fall over, while Hazel hopped away as it fell over to the ground. He than hopped over to look at the tiny flame still burning on the candle. He tried to touch the flame, but he felt a sting as the ember was hot that Hazel pulled his paw away.

"This place is different and it's too quiet." he said.

I came over and picked up the candle and the candlestick.

"I haven't felt some much peace far long." I said.

"It seems foreboding here." Hazel also said.

"Foreboding or not, we need to leave, before a 'human' could find us." Bigwig warned us. Fiver and the _Owsla_ came back with a white flower that Fiver is holding the stem.

"We found a flower for you to place." Fiver said. He than putted down the flower with his mouth.

I bend down and petted Fiver. "Thank you."

I walked down the aisle and placed the rose over at the pedestal. I closed my eyes, bend my knees with my head down and said a short prayer for my family is at rest.

* * *

As I finished my prayer, a sound of a door opened. I turned around to see a gun was drawn and his face revealed to me.

"Hugh?"

"You now know my real man." he said.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"To make sure you're arrested and that rabbit, who escaped, comes back with me." he said.

"I cannot do that. I don't even know where he is." I said.

"Don't lie to me!" he shouted. He started to walked down the aisle and made his way towards me.

"Why do killed them?"

"What?" he asked.

"Why did you killed my family? My mother, father, and sister?" I started to slightly tear up.

"Your parents have done everything they can to protect you. I'm sure the authorities would be on their way. You won't be protected by your family. I could clear the charges if you can give the rabbit's where about. You answer to me by the time the police arrives, I could not charge and I'll never disturb you again. That way the both of us could get what we wanted." he said as he was about to leave.

"No." I said.

He stopped suddenly and slowly turned back towards.

"I couldn't be able to protect my family from you. I couldn't be able to stop you from kidnapping Tyler-"

"Who?!" he exclaimed.

"That's his name." I answered.

He just shook his head and chuckled.

"As I was saying, I couldn't able to protect Tyler from you. I'm willing to protect my family from you. No matter what becomes of me." I said.

Tyler was a bit shaky from me not giving him away. Hazel smiled that I'm standing up for the warren.

"He's now officially a buck of our warren." Bigwig commended.

"Well... that is a mistake." Hugh said as he aimed his handgun at me and fired off two shots My left arm flew as I was shot below my shoulder and chest. I than fell to the ground behind the pedestal.

Hazel was shocked from what he saw. He was started to hop from hiding, but stopped by Bigwig.

"Don't do it! He'll know where we're!" he shouted.

"I can't let him shoot Mason!" Hazel exclaimed and hopped away.

" _Owsla_ move out now!" Bigwig commanded.

* * *

Hugh walked closer to me. "Do you feel it?"

I was so much in pain that I couldn't be able to speak.

"That is how much your family was before I killed him." he boasted. "You'll join them."

Hazel came out of no where and hopped on my chest, as if he was trying to shield me.

"Hazel... don't..." I said weakly.

He just stood on his ground.

"I suppose you have been look out for the boy right." Hugh teased and started to laugh.

Hazel felt the burn inside of him, as I felt his claws were enhancing without feeling a single poke or stab.

Hugh stopped laughing and aimed his handgun at Hazel. "I suppose you're willing to defend the boy."

"From anyone, harming my godson." Hazel spoke.

Hugh shook his head from disbelief. He started to doubt at first. Unexpectedly, Hazel jumped at the man and started to claw at him. I tried to stand up, but the pain from my gun wounds pulled me back down. Hugh was being tackled and clawed from Hazel's fury. At one point, he stopped and started to hear something from the distance. Being distracted and tried to listen to what it was, Hugh blindsided Hazel. I got up and charged at Hugh.

He than reached for his handgun and fired another at round hitting me again in the chest. I fell upon and he rolled me. I looked at the unconscious Hazel.

"He'll join you after I dealt with you." Hugh aimed his weapon.

"Don't move! Put your hands in the air!" Constables busted into the church and drew their firearms. A constable stepped forward.

Hugh turned around and immediately recognized him. "John?!"

"Put your firearm down or we'll shoot!" Constable John demanded.

"What happened to our deal?" Hugh smirked. In the middle of it, Tyler came to me and managed to rub my necklace and it started to change me back into a rabbit.

He fired a shot onto Hugh's shoulder and he fell onto his back.

"There wasn't a deal." Constable John said.

The constables rushed towards Hugh and arrested him.

"Sir, we spotted two rabbits, sir." one of the constables said.

John walked the aisle and saw me and Tyler. He turned back towards Hugh. "Well shooting at smaller critters smaller than your size."

Hugh was being picked up. John managed to walk get a glance him.

"I'll make sure you're being locked away." John said, as Hugh was being escorted out of the church.

"Do what you want, I'll find my way out again and I'll continue what I couldn't finished." Hugh said.


	16. Becoming So Numb

Chapter 16

I was being dragged by Tyler to get me to hide underneath a church pew. We waited until the constables were nearly out, so Tyler and myself could be able to exit without them noticing. As the door was still opened, he carried out of the church and hopped behind the church to hide in the bushes. The constables continued to search around the church and John even went out of the church's boundaries to search further.

"Sir, should we do an extensive search?" A constable asked.

He just looked around to see the entrance of the woods. He than shook his head.

"Call of the search and we'll just say that the man was mad." Constable John suggested.

Everyone started to head to their cars and drove off, as he still looked around.

"Hopefully, you are alright lad. Just to see you're safe." he said to himself.

He than walked back towards church and headed towards his vehicle and drove off.

* * *

Tyler waited until there was silence and no sight of anyone. When they were all gone, he picked me back up and headed deeper to the woods. We than regrouped with Hazel and the _Owsla_.

"I need to rest, please." I said.

"Not here!" Tyler protested.

Hazel looked around. "How about over a tall bush nearby. We'll help him recover."

We headed over a tall bush, where we could hide. Tyler lie down so I could get off, but I rolled onto my since the gunshot wounds wouldn't let me stand. Bigwig found two leaves and he covered the gunshot wounds. I still felt some stings that it was painful than being stung and bitten by wasps, yellow-jackets, or hornets.

"I know it hurts, lad. You'll recover soon." Bigwig assured with a light smile.

By that time, Kehaar flew down and Hannah hopped down from his back.

"What happened?" Hannah asked. "We heard shots of a fire-stick."

"Mason was shot by the man, who kidnapped me." Tyler answered.

"Kehaar could remove the black pebbles." Kehaar said.

"Please no, it's too painful remove them." I refused.

"It'll help you have less pain." Hazel assured.

A tear started to roll down from more pain. "It's growing numb... I felt I can't feel anything... is he coming?"

"Don't mention his name! You'll be fine." Hazel said.

"I'll hold on to his feet, if you could hold him down Hazel." Bigwig offered.

Hazel nodded. Tyler and Fiver joined holding on my sides.

"Mason... do you remember I told you about when I was shot?" he asked.

"You did. When I came back to Watership Down and I was recovering from my first gun-shot wound. You told me about it." I recalled.

"Kehaar get it. Hold still." Kehaar warned me.

I nodded. He than started to pick out the first two bullets that were on my chest. I screamed in pain.

"It's alright son." Hazel assured me, while holding me down.

Kehaar spitted the first two bullets.

"You just need you to roll over so Kehaar could take out the last bullet." Tyler said.

I rolled as I covered my wounds. Kehaar got close and took out the last bullet. It was bit more painful than the first two. After he took out the last bullet, I rolled back onto my back. Tyler and Fiver covered the wounds with the same leaves that Bigwig used.

"All done. Mason rest now." Kehaar said.

"I don't know. He still have some human in him. If he tries to rest, he may not make it." Tyler said.

"It's okay Tyler. It's only for a little bit." I said.

"Are you sure?" Hazel asked.

"I'm sure." I said.

"I think a rest should be alright, just don't fall sleep lad." Bigwig said.

* * *

Everyone started to search for some _flay_ food. Hazel just lay next to me.

"Are you going along?" I asked.

"No, I can't leave you unprotected. You could attract _elil_ from your wounds." he said.

"After the fight you had with General Woundwart, before you passed, did you feel numb?" I asked.

"I did, but it was temporary." he said.

"I still feel like it's not going away." I said. "I just want it to end."

Hazel just placed his paw on my chest and smiled.

"Dad?"

"Yes son." Hazel said.

I started to feel shaky and numbness started to swell on my chest and my shoulder. "I want to go Home."

I saw a tear came down behind his hazel eyes. "You'll be Home. As soon, we continued to head there."

He than just lay his head down on my chest started to nap. His tear fell onto my fur coat. I looked up towards the sky and I started to close my eyes for a brief nap.

* * *

"Hazel! We're about to head out!" Bigwig called for him.

He started to wake up. "Mason, we're about head for home."

He hopped only a few feet and turned back to see Mason was still lying on the grass. He immediately started to feel something is wrong.

He came back to him and nuzzled Mason's head. Mason's head laid on the grass.

"Mason?" He started to nudge him with his paw and shook. His adoptive son still couldn't wake up.

"Mason!" Hazel shouted.

Bigwig and the _Owsla_ came back, as they heard Hazel's plea.

"What happened?" Fiver asked.

"He's not waking up." Hazel said. He got close to Mason and couldn't feel a single breathe from him. "He's not breathing."

The _Owsla_ became shocked in sorrow. Kehaar flew back and noticed the rabbits weren't following him.

"You rabbits didn't follow?" Kehaar wondered.

"It's Mason. He's gone." Tyler said.

Kehaar and Hannah gasped.

"Not Mason, what should we do?" Fiver feared.

Hazel placed Mason's paws together onto his necklace. He bowed his head with his eyes closed.

"Our _Frith_ , my hearts has joined the thousands." The rabbits started to pray with their heads lowered and eyes closed, including Tyler.

"For our friend stopped running today." the rest of the rabbits finished.

"For my son stopped running today." Hazel finished. He than opened his eyes and dropped a few tears.

"I don't know how Rose is going to take this." Dandelion feared.

"Along with the rest of the warren." Hawkbit added.

"We'll bring him Home and find a place for him to rest." Hazel said.

Tyler came forward, along with the _Owsla_ , picked Mason's lifeless body up and placed him onto Hazel's back. Before they could go anywhere, a rustle came through one of the bushes. A wolf came out.

Bigwig was ready for a counter attack. "If you wanted Mason, you'll have to go through me."

The _Owsla_ were ready to defend themselves and a lifeless human-rabbit. The wolf just walked towards Hazel. Hazel started to remember it was the same wolf that he and Mason encountered.

"You're the same wolf that Mason sensed you." Hazel recollect.

The wolf nodded. "I understand that your friend has passed."

"He's more than a friend, he's like a son to me." Hazel said.

"And a brother." Tyler and Fiver said.

"He's family." Pipkin said.

"I know that losing someone, who was important to you impacted you. I could help escort you home, if you let me." the wolf offered.

"How could we trust you, since you're a _elil_?" Bigwig questioned.

Fiver came close to the wolf. "Did you say he sensed you?"

"He did. It looked like, he looked into my past and how I ended up here. If someone was far and I sensed someone is a friend of mine or family, I would journeyed to see his/her family or friends." the wolf answered.

Pipkin came forward. "Can we trust you?"

"My dear friend. You have my word." the wolf assured. "I doubt any predators would want a lifeless animal, unless they're desperate and hungry."

The _Owsla_ looked back to Hazel for approval. He nodded his head.

"If you're going to keep your word, than you have ours." Hazel said.

"Agreed. We need to hurry, before anyone could spot him or anyone could be a harm to you." the wolf agreed.

They started their journey back to Watership Down, from following the same path they took.


	17. Between Heaven and Meadow

Chapter 17

I started to open my eyes for the first time since I slipped asleep. I could see my legs were human and I saw my hands. I looked around that everything is meadow green. The skies were colored as if I was by the ocean. The ocean waves started to crash by a shore.

"I'm I in Heaven?" I asked myself.

A bright light shined on the sun. It was brightening that I had to shield my eyes. As moments after the big shine, I unshielded my eyes and a bright white stairway was present. Came down "A Man in all white" descended from the stairs.

"You remember me don't you?" he asked.

I walked a little close to him and recognized his face.

"Yes... I know you." I said solomenly.

"You knew me for a long time. I'm proud that you kept your faith in Me. Even though, you're turned into a rabbit." He said.

I chuckled. I than started to think about my family.

"My family? Are they-"

"They're safe. They're in a everlasting peace with Me." He assured with a hand on my shoulder.

I let a relief that my family are in peace.

"My time has come, hasn't it?" I asked.

"Not yet, son. You'll know when your time has come." He said.

"I felt some much of sadness since my family was gone. I felt alone and confused." I said. "I should've have turned towards you immediately. I'm sorry."

"Your blood was washed clean from your sins. And you prayed on my name, when said a prayer for your family at the Ashford Hill Church." He said.

I was still guilty that I could have prayed for Jesus to help me in a time of need.

"Just remember, I'm always with you, even till the end of time." He said.

I nodded and agreed. "Is my extended family safe?"

"Yes they are. They're being escorted by a wolf, I send to them to watch over them, until you return." He said.

"Thank you Jesus." I smiled.

"Remember, don't be afraid to share about your faith. You have mentioned so much to your new family." He added.

"Will I see them again, if they passed and/or I passed?" I asked.

"It's only for you to know and see when you come back, when your Earthly life ends." He said. "I must return back to My Father. I'll see you again soon."

He walked towards the stairs and a bright light shined brighter that I couldn't shield my eyes.

"Goodbye to You to... Jesus." I said.

"And don't forget... a letter by your parents... they want Me to tell you to open it when return back to Watership Down." He said.

"I'll."

* * *

I started to walk further in the meadow, as I was waiting to go back.

"Excuse me?" a voice came from behind me.

I turned around to see a bit shaded white, light gray rabbit came from behind me.

"Are you not happening to be Mason Smith?" he asked.

"Yes I'm." I answered. "You look descriptive that Fiver told me about a rabbit he knew."

"Fiver?" he was surprised.

"You know him?" I asked.

"Yes, he's a dear friend and a brother to me." he said. "My name is Silverweed."

"It's nice to meet you." I greeted.

"Like wise." he said.

"How did you end up here?" I asked.

"Well... I saved Watership Down with a cost. I had the similar abilities like Fiver, but I could look into a rabbit's mind. When General Woundwart made his last attack on Watership Down, Hannah had magic that she was taught that could save the warren."

"Really?" I was shocked.

"Yes. The cost is that she could die, if she used it. I had to save her life and did the magic for her. It came with the cost that I grew older and stopped running shortly after the warren was safe." he finished.

It was a surprised that I was able to see Fiver's close brother. However, I started to feel like I was going back to Earth.

"I suppose you're going back." he said.

"Yes, am I going to see you. I'm sure Fiver missed you so much." I said.

"Tell him that you and Fiver are going to watch the stars tonight, when you all return home and I'll return. I supposed that your friend from the sun has told me."

"Jesus." I said.

"I suppose." Silverweed said. "I'll see you at _Fu Inle'_."

"I'll see you too." My eyes started to close and everything went black.


	18. Home and News

Chapter 18

I started to wake up from what it seemed to be a dream. I didn't felt any pain or numbness. My back was lying on soft leaves and grass. Started to notice that almost the whole warren was there, including Kehaar and Hannah. They gasped, stunned, and astonished like they thought I was dead. I saw the photos of my family and myself with my family, that looked like the family mausoleum.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"You're home." Hazel answered. He came and gave me a hug.

"Was I also... dead?" I asked.

"You were gone and you than started to breath and just now you woke up." Tyler answered.

"Where's Fiver?" I asked.

"I'm here." he came behind from Hazel. "We thought we lost you."

"Thank _Frith_ you're alright." the rabbits said in relief.

"Did a wolf help you?" I started to remember the dream I had and I was told about the wolf.

"Yes, he did. I thought he was _elil_. However, he was assuring and trustworthy. I thought I had to be embedded by his teeth." Bigwig said.

The warren chuckled and giggled. As he was talking about the wolf, I started to remember Silverweed and I had to come up in a way to explain to Fiver.

"Fiver, I also saw Silverweed." I said.

The rabbits stopped their laughter and went silent. Everyone looked at Fiver.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I saw Silverweed." I answered.

"Can we have a moment for just the both of us please?" Fiver asked everyone.

One by one, everyone started to leave the burrow, until it was just me and Fiver that we could talk about Silverweed. I was bit frightened that Fiver would be hurt that I could have hurt his feelings from bringing it up.

* * *

"Whose name did you just say?" Fiver asked.

I rolled over to my side, stood up and turned towards Fiver. "I saw Silverweed."

"How?" he asked.

"When I was waiting to wake up from the dream, I saw him, as he came across with me." I answered.

"What did he say?"

"He first asked for my name and I gave him my name, and remember the story you told me about what he did." I explained.

"'The Magic'." he said.

"He used it, either than letting Hannah." I said.

"That's right." he said quietly.

"He even said you and Silverweed were like brothers. Just like you told me about him, as well he told me about you." I added.

"How did you see him? How?!" Fiver questioned.

I was calm, but I knew that bringing up his name is more sorrow than just telling me about Silverweed's story. "It was more of a dream, but was near death experience. I'm sorry."

"No... you didn't need to apologize." he lightly smiled warmly with tears slowly dropping.

"He also said he missed you terribly." I added.

"I know he does." he said. "How are you feeling?"

I moved my left arm and no longer felt the pain. "I'm feeling bit better."

"That's good." he said.

I also didn't felt much pain on chest. "I was wondering if you and Hazel are interested to watch some stars tonight?"

"I'll ask him to see and I'll love to." he smiled.

* * *

He hopped away and I took some breathes. I was a bit tired from the journey that I lie on the pile of leaves. Rose came into the burrow.

"Mason!" she hurried to my side and nuzzled me.

"I thought I lost you." I said.

"Me too. When I saw you dead... I couldn't be able to bear it." she started to tear.

I placed my paw on her shoulder. "It's alright. I'm here." I gave her a hug.

She than gasped and shook slightly.

"Are you alright? You're trembling." I asked.

A tear fell from her eye. "What's wrong?" I wiped the tear.

She smiled. "Mason, we're going to have a family of our own."

"Rose." I was too shocked to be excited.

"You're going to be father." she said.

I gave her a big hug. Even though my family well not be able to see it, but I know in the end of our lives we'll.

"I can't believe. I'm very grateful I'm alive to see her." I said.

"We don't know if it's a girl or boy." she chuckled. "How about Olivia?"

"I thought you might wanted Flora." I said.

"No... if we have doe or at least one doe, I'll name her Olivia. For you." she gave me a kiss. and we decided to have ourselves of nap to be with each other, since I haven't seen her when me and the _Owsla_ searched for Tyler.

* * *

When I woke up, it felt like I slept through the whole day. Rose was still asleep and have a smile on her face for the fact that I was home. Now, I felt joyfulness than having the sorrow I had, more importantly because we're expecting a kitten.

"Mason." Fiver called for me.

I remembered that the three of us: Hazel, Fiver, and myself we're going to watch the stars tonight. I hopped from burrow and started my way through the tunnel and met up with the brothers at the Honeycomb.

"Mason, are you ready?" Fiver asked.

"I'm... everyone asleep already?" I asked.

"You have been asleep the whole day and I'm afraid so." Hazel said.

"It's reasonable, even the _Owsla_ of course, after a long journey." I said.

"Come on, we might as well see if we could catch a star or two, before calling the night." Hazel said.

Fiver and I followed Hazel through the tunnel, until the three of us exited out of the warren. We stopped at the edge of the shadow of a branch, in effort to not leave ourselves in the open and we started to star gaze. The stars were lightly bright, but millions of them were mad the night brightened. The skies were clear and not a single creature was at sight or noise were made.

"If only I could be able to travel back to California and show you guys Bodega Bay, you'll probably love it on nights like this." I said.

"Many more worlds are appearing every night." Fiver astonished.

Hazel smiled at his brother and turned towards me. "Something on your mind?"

"Well more of great news to put it." I answered.

"What is it?" Fiver asked.

"I'm going to be a father." I announced.

"That's brilliant, Mason!" Fiver was thrilled.

"Congratulations, son." Hazel congratulated.

"It feels like long time of trying. Rose and I could start a family. I'm sure my parents and my sister would've have been thrilled, only if they're alive." I added.

"Your family can't be anymore proud. I'm sure they're celebrating in some way." Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder.

"Me too." Fiver patted my back.

"Thanks guys." I smiled.


	19. Resurrection

Chapter 19

We continued to watch the stars for another ten minutes. I looked at my left that the moon was rising. It was about this time, the surprise for Fiver should be imminent. Hazel started to yawn and rubbed his eyes with his paws.

"I'm going to head back and get some shut eye. You two should probably do the same." Hazel said.

"I was hoping that if Fiver and I could stay out a little longer, we'll stay close and I'll keep on him." I said.

Hazel looked at Fiver and me. "Alright, just be very careful and please don't leave the down."

"We won't." Fiver assured. "Goodnight Hazel."

"Goodnight Fiver. Goodnight Mason." he said.

"Goodnight Dad." I said.

As he entered back into the warren, Fiver and I continued to watch the stars. I started to hum a song as I continued to gaze at the stars. Somewhere in the distance I heard noises from the old house that my family used to live in. The lights were on and I heard faint music, sounds of teenagers were partying. I started to think some of the parts of California I rather leave behind was that neighbors would party all night.

"I guess we got new neighbors." I said.

"What do you mean?" Fiver asked.

"One of the main reasons, before meeting you guys and moving to United Kingdom, was that I used to have neighbors back in California, they would party endlessly, until the middle of the night." I said.

"That's sounds terrible for you can't get a good night sleep." Fiver said.

"At least you guys don't have to deal with this because you're all underground and could barely hear them." I said. "Also as long it's the neighbors played the kind of music I listen to, I could deal with it."

Fiver chuckled. "That is true, but we did have some similar experiences with neighbors for one full day."

* * *

"What happened?" I asked.

"After a stormy night, nearly everyone in the whole warren was awaken by a flock of sheep at the down." Fiver answered.

"It wouldn't too great if they were humans and they party the whole day like a festival event." I said.

"The sheep started to eat all of the food. Even their goat started to eat the barks from our tree." he continued.

"What did you do?"

"I asked him not to eat the tree that the tree could fall and destroy our warren. Unfortunately, the goat just huffed and puffed like he was about to charge up at me like he did to Bigwig." he said.

"What caused the goat to attack Bigwig?"

"He tried to communicate to the goat that the down is our warren and wanted the sheep and the goat to leave. He thinks that it was good solution, but not knowing the goat charged at him and he flew until he landed by the warren's entrance." he said.

"He wasn't hurt very bad?" I asked.

"No... only he said was to give him a warning that the goat was about to attack him." Fiver smiled.

"At least he didn't have to fly across the down to have a perfect landing, like Kehaar." I joked.

We started to laugh from the joke. Fiver cleared his throat and took a deep breath after his laugh.

"Of course, we had to have the flock to leave, Captain Broom taught us and gave the idea to have a sheep dog follow us to herd the flock." he continued.

"Did it work?"

"The sheep dog, of course, like all dogs would go after us. However, the sheep dog nearly could have killed Hazel, but thank _Frith_ that the dog found the sheep and had the flock leave the down." he finished his story.

"Wow." I said. "But imagine a pig could do a sheep dog's work."

"A pig gathering sheep?" Fiver questioned.

"In a story of course called _Babe_. It tells a story about a pig that lived a farm to be raised, until he could have been eaten for Christmas dinner. However, due to his actions, it alarmed the sheep dogs and farmer that some sheep were being taken by sheep thieves. The farmer named Hogett, who won the pig from a county fair, started to train Babe to become a sheep pig and he became successful, even winning a competition of herding sheep." I told Fiver.

"We never heard of a pig herding sheep." he said.

"Well it was only in tale though." I said.

We than gave each other smile, until we heard the party grew louder.

"I'm sure they're having a good time regardless, of distributing everyone's sleep." I said.

"I think we should head back to the warren." Fiver said.

I looked back to see the moon was fully up and I worried that I had let Fiver down from the surprise that I didn't even tell him in full. "I suppose so."

* * *

We headed our way towards the warren. Before Fiver could enter, he gasped as a vision would return. I stopped as he didn't hop inside.

"What is it Fiver?" I asked.

"I heard someone call my name." he said.

"I didn't."

"I know, but it was someone that I know." he added.

"Hazel's?" I asked.

"No, but someone I haven't seen for long." Fiver said. He hopped away the warren and tried to sense, who it was.

 _Fiver_. A voice came into his head.

"Here it goes again." he said.

I started to wonder nearby, who could it be. I came back to Fiver and still can't find anyone near.

"Fiver." a voice came that this time it was real.

I turned around and gasped. "Uhh... Fiver?"

"Yes?" he turned around to see another rabbit. "Whose there?"

"Fiver, don't remember me?" he asked.

"Come a little closer." Fiver said.

The rabbit hopped close enough that the dark rabbit was gone. The rabbit was same one that met. Fiver started to move closer and gasped.

"Silverweed?"

"Yes, Fiver, it's me, my old friend." the rabbit said with a smile.

I started to smile that it wasn't a dream and that Fiver is about to be reunited with a long time friend.

"Silverweed!" Fiver shouted.

Fiver and Silverweed gave each other a embrace hug that they started to tear up. I watched, as if two brothers were reunited after living apart.

"Mason, this my very good old friend and brother... Silverweed." Fiver introduced to me.

I came towards Silverweed and reached my paw out. He was a bit confused.

"Fiver?"

"It's okay Silverweed. It's how he greets someone." Fiver assured.

Silverweed reached his paw towards mine and we gave each other a shake. "Now I know, who you're Mason Smith."

"Me too, Silverweed." I said.

"You two know each other?" Fiver asked.

"Remember what I told you about how I met him." I tried to have him recollect.

Fiver tried to think until he remembered. "Yes, I do remember."

"I thought it would be a nice surprise that you could see his face again. Sorry I didn't tell you the first time, because I wanted it to be a special surprise for you." I said.

Fiver started to tear again and gave me a hug. "Thank you."

"Your welcome, brother." I said.

Fiver let go. "I could say we both are brothers since you lived here."

The three of us gave each other a group hug, before headed back to the warren and went to sleep for the night.


	20. Epilogue

Chapter 20

On the morning after I returned to Watership Down from rescuing Tyler, me and Rose were fast asleep back in our burrow. I was able to wake myself up only to see Rose still asleep. I gave her a kiss that had her smile and went back to her dream. At one point, I even touched her belly, only to feel a kick from the unborn child. It would be possible that she would be born soon to this world. I started to rub Rose's belly and tried to talk to Olivia.

"Olivia, you'll be a wonderful and beautiful doe. Your mother and I'll do everything we can to protect you from harm." I whispered quietly.

I got up from our bed and gave myself a scratch on the ear and saw my belongings were still there. I hopped by to see that dirt started rust on my portable DVD case and slightly on mine phone. I even touched the home button to see dozen texts still unread. It was still in the middle of summer, according to my phone that the month is July.

I put my phone down and hopped out of the burrow and headed towards the honeycomb. When I got there, some rabbits were up and greeted Silverweed.

"Mason!" he shouted for my name.

"Good morning." I said.

I hopped close to the group where everyone was greeting him.

"A lot of stories that everyone was telling me about you. Was it true that you encountered Woundwart and Vervain?" he asked.

"It was true, but the fight was more on Vervain, since I needed to defend the warren. Especially for Rose's sake."

"Your mate?" he asked.

I was surprised that he immediately guessed that I had a mate-to-be at that time. "Yes, until now. And we're about to have a child."

"That is wonderful!" he said.

Everyone said likewise.

* * *

The _Owsla_ came back from their patrol. "Good morning champ."

"Good morning. I'm sorry I didn't came along." I apologized.

"Nothing to worry about it lad, you had long journey and you did so much." Bigwig said.

"And I can't even thank you for rescuing me." Tyler said.

"Your welcome." I smiled.

"Also." Tyler took off his vest and unzipped his backpack to find a letter that was lightly covered in dirt. "On our patrol, we came by to your old house and found a letter lying around by your old garden."

"Whose it from?" I asked.

He turned the envelope and saw the encrypted names. "Your mom and dad."

I grabbed the letter and started to open. Rose came out from our burrow and joined, as everyone in the whole warren listened. After I opened the letter with my teeth, the letter was long and I started to read it.

 _Dear Mason; Since you have been busy trying to make a family, we have missed you so much. I'm sure that certain events have compelled you from visiting. One day, where you're older, you will learn all about the variable lessons your father and I learned and the trials we have faced. At times the world can be an unfriendly and sinister place, but believe us when we say there is good in it than bad. All you have to do is look hard enough, like you always have. And what might seem to be a series of unfortunate event, may, in fact, be the first steps of your journey. We hope to have you come and visit us again soon, Mason. However, in case you're reading this letter when your father and I departed from this world, we wanted you to know that we love you. It fills us with joy and pride that, no matter what happens in your life, you will take care and look after your new family with faith, hope, love, courage, and kindness, as you always have. And remember one thing my dear and please don't forget it: no matter what happens to us, know that as long as you have remember us and know that we're with you in your heart and spirit. And of course you have your family and you are home with loved ones all around. Mom and Dad_."

I started to sniff. Hazel placed his paw. "Remember, they're always with you."

"I know." I remembered.

He smiled.

"Silverweed, how do you like to be my brother, like Fiver and Tyler." I offered.

Silverweed was emotionally touched. "Yes, I like that very much."

"Can we do a group hug?" I asked.

The whole warren embraced each other like a big, happy, and stronger family. As tears started to fall down, my eyes were closed and I smiled, as I felt everyone's hearts were around me.

* * *

 _Months Later_

I was decorating the warren for Christmas Eve/ _Frith's Eve_. Our child wasn't even born yet, but she was growing a lot. The memories of my first holiday with the rabbits came back to the first time since I first visited this warren. I even heard the news that Hugh was imprisoned in a asylum, while Clayton disappeared after the trials, possibly living with his other family relatives. However, I still have the fear and cringe that Hugh would escape and try again, like he did with Tyler. Also, if he did escape and found his way towards our warren, we would be ready and remembered the lesson we had learned.

"Mason." Hazel and Bigwig called for me.

I finished the last touches of the decoration of green like Christmas reeves. I hopped over to them, as they had brought along guests from other warrens and other animals as well.

"Dad, Bigwig."

"How's the touch ups?" Hazel asked.

"Everything is ready. Are you?" I asked.

"I suppose so." Hazel said.

"Ready as I ever be." Bigwig said.

"How's Spartina and your children?" I asked.

"She's still resting and the kittens are still growing." he said. "How are you and Rose? Still your kitten isn't here."

"I know, it's been awhile, but I could say she's still growing and when the time comes, it'll come." I assured.

"Where is she anyway?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know. She told she'll be right there." I said.

"Mason! Mason!" a rabbit was calling for me. I tried to figure out who it was. Blackberry came over.

"Mason! Rose gave birth to two kittens!" she was in joy.

"Two?!" I said in shock.

"Well done, Mason!" Hazel said.

"Congrats lad!" Bigwig said. "You two did it!"

"Follow me and I'll show you your kittens." Blackberry instructed me.

* * *

The three of us followed Blackberry and in the tunnel paths, the warren was there waiting for us.

"Congratulations Mason!" Tyler and Gillia said with their kittens next to them.

"Is she alright?" I asked.

"She's excited at the same time proud." Gillia said.

"She's waiting for you to see them." Primrose said.

"We'll gave you and Rose sometime to yourselves." Hazel said.

"Thank you." I said. Everyone else started to head back for the

I took a deep breathe, in effort to remove my anxiety and nervous tensions. I hopped into our burrow, where I found Rose in our bed.

"Hello Mason." she was claim.

I smiled as she smiled with a friendly greeting. "Hello Rose."

"Come see your children."

I slowly hopped over to see two kitten rabbits were being nourished. One of the kittens had similar resemblances to my fur coating of light gray color. Another, has the mix of dark tan with gray shading color that reassembles both me and Rose.

"Rose... they're so beautiful." I said as I gazed at them. "Just like you."

I gently nuzzled her.

"And you too." she said.

"Olivia is one... whom should we name our son? Your choice this time." I asked while I looked at our new born children.

She tried to think of a name for our son. "How about Mason Jr.?"

I turned towards her. "After me?"

"I see him more like you. And your name... only came into my mind." she said.

A tear started to draw down that I cleaned my eyes with my paws.

"I know they'll be proud, just like my father would." she comforted me.

"No... that's it." I said.

"What is it than?" she asked.

"It's that. Our children are born on Christmas Eve and _Frith's_ Eve." I said.

"A blessing from _Frith_." she said. "What do you think?"

"I believe it's a Christmas Miracle from God." I answered my opinion.

She smiled. I than lie next to my new family. One of the kittens started to cry as the second follow suite.

"Awww... it's okay you two." I gently placed my paw on them. "No need to cry." I tried to quiet them down, even though it's common to see a baby cry when they're born.

(Mason's Part)

 _Come stop your crying_  
 _It will be alright_  
 _Just take our hand_  
 _And hold it tight_

 _We will protect you_  
 _From all around you_  
 _We will be here_  
 _Don't you cry_

(Rose's Part)

 _For one so small,_  
 _You two seem so strong_  
 _Our arms will hold you,_  
 _Keep you safe and warm_  
 _This bond between us_  
 _Can't be broken_  
 _We will be here_  
 _Don't you cry_

(Mason and Rose)

 _Cause you'll be in our hearts_  
 _Yes, you'll be in our hearts_  
 _From this day on_  
 _Now and forever more_  
 _You'll be in our hearts_  
 _No matter what they say_  
 _You'll be here in our hearts_  
 _Always_

The new born kittens were than fallen asleep after we gave them each a kiss. Rose and I looked at each other and nuzzled.

"Merry Christmas." I said.

"Merry Christmas." she said.

We than got close and we started to fall asleep to dream what our new family's future. I would like to see them join the _Junior Owsla_ , until they join in the official _Owsla_. After months of sorrow, I was happy and glad to say that I was fortunate and more importantly blessed... indeed.


	21. Author's Note

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for crediting for being my co-author, proofreading, and adding ideas to this story, and also allowing me to use his original characters: Tyler Damien, Chip, and Dale. Also, hopefully you all enjoyed reading the series. Thank you readers. There goes number 3 and a fourth... we'll see.


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